Job title · California

Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor in California

California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) lists 3 job classes for this work in the California state pay plan: Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (Safety), Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, Qualified Rehabilitation Professional.

$47,988 – $92,628
state pay plan range, a year
3
classes in the state plan
$44,480
median pay in CA, all employers
13,690
workers in CA (SOC 21-1015)

Sources: California Department of Human Resources (CalHR), California State Civil Service Pay Scales — Section 17 Schematic Listing (with Section 16 Schematic Arrangement of Classes); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.

California state pay plan Sourced

Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective September 14, 2026. These are the ranges California sets for its own state employees; cities, counties and school districts have their own pay plans.

Class and gradePublished rate
Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
Class 9806
Grade 9806 Range A
$3,999.00 – $4,933.00 a month
$47,988 – $59,196 a year
Grade 9806 Range B
$4,473.00 – $5,518.00 a month
$53,676 – $66,216 a year
Grade 9806 Range C
$5,192.00 – $6,795.00 a month
$62,304 – $81,540 a year
Grade 9806 Range D
$5,317.00 – $7,132.00 a month
$63,804 – $85,584 a year
Grade 9806 Range E
$5,685.00 – $7,463.00 a month
$68,220 – $89,556 a year
Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor (Safety)
Class 9815
Grade 9815 Range A
$4,052.00 – $4,996.00 a month
$48,624 – $59,952 a year
Grade 9815 Range B
$4,535.00 – $5,590.00 a month
$54,420 – $67,080 a year
Grade 9815 Range C
$5,260.00 – $6,886.00 a month
$63,120 – $82,632 a year
Grade 9815 Range D
$5,387.00 – $7,225.00 a month
$64,644 – $86,700 a year
Grade 9815 Range E
$5,760.00 – $7,564.00 a month
$69,120 – $90,768 a year
Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, Qualified Rehabilitation Professional
Class 9818
Grade 9818 Range A
$5,369.00 – $7,028.00 a month
$64,428 – $84,336 a year
Grade 9818 Range B
$5,498.00 – $7,376.00 a month
$65,976 – $88,512 a year
Grade 9818 Range C
$5,883.00 – $7,719.00 a month
$70,596 – $92,628 a year

Schedule: Civil Service Pay Scale (Section 17, by schematic code). Rates are as the plan publishes them; "a year" figures are conversions. Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).

Source: California Department of Human Resources (CalHR), California State Civil Service Pay Scales — Section 17 Schematic Listing (with Section 16 Schematic Arrangement of Classes). Data captured September 30, 2026.

Pay in California, all employers Sourced

Rehabilitation Counselors (SOC 21-1015) in California, all employers combined: BLS state estimates do not separate government from private.

MeasureCA
Workers13,690
10th percentile$35,940
Median$44,480
90th percentile$69,260
National median, government employers$64,170

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Free practice tests for California

Source: Open Exam Prep, Open Exam Prep free practice tests. Data captured October 1, 2026. Each link was opened and its exam title checked on the date shown.

More about this job

Requirements, hiring process, training, schedule and day-to-day work are on the national Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor page.

Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor in other states