Genetic Counselor Salary Guide By Region & Experience
Counseling Schools Search
When you click on a sponsoring school or program advertised on our site, or fill out a form to request information from a sponsoring school, we may earn a commission. View our advertising disclosure for more details.
Genetic counselors are responsible for assessing families or individuals who may be at risk of inherited conditions. They provide information and support to healthcare providers, or to families and individuals who are concerned with the risk of inherited conditions. They provide critical services to the concerned families and individuals undergoing genetic testing, helping them identify risks for certain disorders, investigating their family health history, interpreting information, and determining if testing is required.
The process of genetic counseling helps patients understand and adapt to the psychological and medical impact of genetic diseases. Genetic counselors generally see patients in hospital settings or clinics, often working with oncologists, obstetricians, and other related doctors. Like doctors, they can also be found working in a wide range of settings.
Typical duties of genetic counselors may include:
- Interviewing patients to get their medical and family histories
- Evaluating genetic information and identifying if the patients or their families are at risk of specific genetic disorders
- Discussing testing options and the associated benefits, limitations, and risks with patients, their families, and other related healthcare providers
- Counseling patients and their family members, and providing them with information, reassurance, and education regarding inherited conditions and genetic risks
- Writing consultation reports that explain complex genetic concepts to patients or referring physicians
Notably, U.S. News & World Report (2025) ranks genetic counselors at number 11 among the best healthcare support jobs, and at number 30 in 100 best jobs.
Read on to discover how much these healthcare professionals make, including breakdowns by region and source. This is the latest data available as of May 2025.
Genetic Counselor Job Overview & Salary in the United States
In general, here is a breakdown of the 3,510 genetic counselors’ salaries in the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS May 2024):
| Genetic Counselors | |
|---|---|
| Number employed in the U.S. | 3,510 |
| Average Annual Salary | $102,890 |
| 10th percentile | $78,680 |
| 25th percentile | $87,060 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $98,910 |
| 75th percentile | $113,220 |
| 90th percentile | $137,780 |
So how does one join this lucrative profession?
A master’s degree in genetics or genetic counseling is the typical requirement for becoming a genetic counselor. The Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling (ACGC) is an accreditation organization for genetic counseling graduate programs.
Coursework in these genetic counseling programs generally includes epidemiology, public health, developmental biology, and psychology, emphasizing genetics, patient empathy, and public health. Students may also be required to complete clinical rotations, working directly with clients and patients. Clinical rotations allow students to work in various work environments such as pediatric hospitals, cancer centers, or prenatal diagnostic centers.
Certification for genetic counselors is provided by the American Board of Genetic Counseling. To become certified, students must complete an accredited master’s program and take an exam. To maintain their certification, they must also complete continuing education coursework.
Employers typically prefer genetic counselors who are certified, but it’s not a necessary requirement. It must also be noted that almost half of the states require them to be licensed, while the remaining have pending legislation for licensure.
Self-reported data from PayScale.com (2025) states the average salary for genetic counselors as $82,705, with the following percentiles:
| Genetic Counselors | |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $70,000 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $82,705 |
| 90th percentile | $104,000 |
Genetic Counselor Salary by Experience Level
According to PayScale (2025), average genetic counseling salaries vary based on experience:
| Experience | Average Salary | Number of Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level genetic counselors (less than a year of experience) | $75,135 | 47 |
| Early career (one to four years) | $83,849 | 75 |
| Mid-career (five to nine) | $87,945 | 27 |
| Experienced (10 to 19 years) | $90,184 | 25 |
| Late-stage (20 years or more) | $94,901 | 10 |
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2025) shows that the need for genetic counselors is growing at a rate of 16 percent (2023 to 2033), which is much faster than the average for all occupations (4 percent). But it is also important to note that this being a small occupation will only have about 600 new jobs in the next ten years.
Recent scientific and technological innovations, such as developments in genomics and lab tests give genetic counselors the opportunity to conduct more types of analyses. The types and number of tests that genetic counselors can evaluate and administer have increased over the past few years—and are expected to increase as healthcare technology advances.
Top-Paying U.S. Cities for Genetic Counselors
Below is a list of the top-paying cities and their corresponding metropolitan areas with the highest salaries for genetic counselors, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2024). Also shown are the estimated number of employed professionals (not including self-employed workers) and the annual mean wage.
| City or metropolitan area | Number of genetic counselors | Annual mean wage (May 2024) |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 90 | $151,590 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 130 | $151,400 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 100 | $125,630 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 90 | $110,090 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 410 | $108,070 |
Top-Paying States for Genetic Counselors
The list below shows the states with the highest salaries for genetic counselors, an estimated number of employed genetic counselors, and the annual mean wage, as reported by the BLS (May 2024).
| State | Number of genetic counselors | Annual mean wage (May 2024) |
|---|---|---|
| California | 440 | $140,010 |
| Virginia | 130 | $110,730 |
| New Jersey | 220 | $109,680 |
| Vermont | 30 | $106,760 |
| Washington | 130 | $102,630 |
Top-Paying Employers of Genetic Counselors
The list below shows the top-paying industries for genetic counselors, based on data from the BLS (May 2024).
| Employer | Employment of genetic counselors | Annual mean wage (May 2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Outpatient Care Centers | 250 | $135,560 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 70 | $126,120 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals, State Government Owned | 130 | $118,250 |
| Hospitals, State Government Owned | 160 | $118,160 |
| Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories | 200 | $113,790 |
Top-Paying Clinical Specializations for Genetic Counselors
The list below shows five genetic counselors specializations and their correlating salaries based on self-reported data from PayScale.com (2025):
| Specialization | Average salary (self-reported) |
|---|---|
| Clinical Research | $88,558 |
| Research Analysis | $87,946 |
| Team Management | $86,179 |
| Patient Counseling | $82,234 |
| Counseling | $80,395 |
Farheen Gani
WriterFarheen Gani has researched degree programs and salaries in counseling since 2020. She has written about topics such as genetic counselor salaries and family and human development bachelor’s degrees. She writes about healthcare, technology, education, and marketing. Her work has appeared on websites such as Tech in Asia and Foundr, as well as top SaaS blogs such as Zapier and InVision. You can connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter (@FarheenGani).