SOC 21-1012 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors — Decatur
Decatur, AL · 10 metro areas compared
Median pay for this occupation in Decatur, AL comes to $72,380 a year, ahead of the national median of $64,330 by 12.5%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
Median pay for this occupation in Decatur, AL comes to $72,380 a year, ahead of the national median of $64,330 by 12.5%. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $62,870 and $75,220. The lowest tenth earn under $61,350, while the highest tenth earn more than $82,790.
The area has 80 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 0.60 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Birmingham leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $63,020. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 59th of 241 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $61,350 | −4.6% |
| 25th | $62,870 | −2.3% |
| Median (50th) | $72,380 | +12.5% |
| 75th | $75,220 | +16.9% |
| 90th | $82,790 | +28.7% |
| Mean | $71,390 | +11.0% |
Other metro areas in Alabama
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Birmingham | $63,020 | 870 | |
| 2 | Daphne | $62,740 | 170 | |
| 3 | Auburn | $62,270 | 310 | |
| 4 | Huntsville | $61,070 | 430 | |
| 5 | Dothan | $59,070 | 100 | |
| 6 | Florence | $58,250 | 140 | |
| 7 | Mobile | $57,800 | 350 | |
| 8 | Montgomery | $56,840 | 360 | |
| 9 | Gadsden | $56,140 | 80 | |
| 10 | Anniston | $53,840 | 120 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Decatur run 11.2% below the national average, so the median of $72,380 goes as far as $81,509 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 26.7% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$72,380as reported by BLSLocal price level
88.8US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$81,509US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $72,380 a year, 12.5% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $61,350 to $82,790 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 80 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Birmingham, at $63,020.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors in Decatur, AL?
The median annual wage is $72,380, or $34.80 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $64,330, so pay in Decatur, AL is 12.5% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Decatur, AL earns more than $82,790 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $61,350 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Birmingham, at $63,020 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 80 jobs in this occupation in Decatur, AL. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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