Job title · Illinois

Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor in Illinois

Illinois Department of Central Management Services lists 3 job classes for this work in the Illinois state pay plan: Rehabilitation Counselor Trainee, Rehabilitation Counselor, Rehabilitation Counselor Senior.

$63,936 – $118,512
state pay plan range, a year
3
classes in the state plan
$49,350
median pay in IL, all employers
4,140
workers in IL (SOC 21-1015)

Sources: Illinois Department of Central Management Services, Illinois CMS Alphabetic Index of Position Titles (FY 2027, effective July 1, 2026, corrected edition); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.

Illinois state pay plan Sourced

Published rates for each class, lowest first, effective July 1, 2026. These are the ranges Illinois sets for its own state employees; cities, counties and school districts have their own pay plans.

Class and gradePublished rate
Rehabilitation Counselor Trainee
Class 38159
Grade RC-062-15-B · RC-062 Technical Employees
$5,328.00 – $7,480.00 a month
$63,936 – $89,760 a year
10 steps
  • Step 1b: $5,328.00 a month
  • Step 1a: $5,495.00 a month
  • Step 1: $5,566.00 a month
  • Step 2: $5,812.00 a month
  • Step 3: $6,051.00 a month
  • Step 4: $6,287.00 a month
  • Step 5: $6,540.00 a month
  • Step 6: $6,788.00 a month
  • Step 7: $7,196.00 a month
  • Step 8: $7,480.00 a month
Grade RC-062-15-Q · RC-062 Technical Employees
$5,556.00 – $7,819.00 a month
$66,672 – $93,828 a year
10 steps
  • Step 1b: $5,556.00 a month
  • Step 1a: $5,731.00 a month
  • Step 1: $5,808.00 a month
  • Step 2: $6,062.00 a month
  • Step 3: $6,316.00 a month
  • Step 4: $6,568.00 a month
  • Step 5: $6,840.00 a month
  • Step 6: $7,093.00 a month
  • Step 7: $7,514.00 a month
  • Step 8: $7,819.00 a month
Grade RC-062-15-S · RC-062 Technical Employees
$5,656.00 – $7,937.00 a month
$67,872 – $95,244 a year
10 steps
  • Step 1b: $5,656.00 a month
  • Step 1a: $5,834.00 a month
  • Step 1: $5,912.00 a month
  • Step 2: $6,176.00 a month
  • Step 3: $6,425.00 a month
  • Step 4: $6,684.00 a month
  • Step 5: $6,956.00 a month
  • Step 6: $7,209.00 a month
  • Step 7: $7,633.00 a month
  • Step 8: $7,937.00 a month
Grade MS-12-4 · Merit Compensation System salary ranges (MS)
$5,328.00 – $7,480.00 a month
$63,936 – $89,760 a year
Rehabilitation Counselor
Class 38145
Grade RC-062-17-B · RC-062 Technical Employees
$5,834.00 – $8,307.00 a month
$70,008 – $99,684 a year
10 steps
  • Step 1b: $5,834.00 a month
  • Step 1a: $6,016.00 a month
  • Step 1: $6,103.00 a month
  • Step 2: $6,384.00 a month
  • Step 3: $6,679.00 a month
  • Step 4: $6,961.00 a month
  • Step 5: $7,244.00 a month
  • Step 6: $7,537.00 a month
  • Step 7: $7,985.00 a month
  • Step 8: $8,307.00 a month
Grade RC-062-17-Q · RC-062 Technical Employees
$6,082.00 – $8,683.00 a month
$72,984 – $104,196 a year
10 steps
  • Step 1b: $6,082.00 a month
  • Step 1a: $6,273.00 a month
  • Step 1: $6,369.00 a month
  • Step 2: $6,673.00 a month
  • Step 3: $6,978.00 a month
  • Step 4: $7,273.00 a month
  • Step 5: $7,568.00 a month
  • Step 6: $7,877.00 a month
  • Step 7: $8,345.00 a month
  • Step 8: $8,683.00 a month
Grade RC-062-17-S · RC-062 Technical Employees
$6,190.00 – $8,803.00 a month
$74,280 – $105,636 a year
10 steps
  • Step 1b: $6,190.00 a month
  • Step 1a: $6,384.00 a month
  • Step 1: $6,482.00 a month
  • Step 2: $6,791.00 a month
  • Step 3: $7,099.00 a month
  • Step 4: $7,391.00 a month
  • Step 5: $7,685.00 a month
  • Step 6: $7,991.00 a month
  • Step 7: $8,467.00 a month
  • Step 8: $8,803.00 a month
Grade MS-16-4 · Merit Compensation System salary ranges (MS)
$5,834.00 – $8,307.00 a month
$70,008 – $99,684 a year
Rehabilitation Counselor Senior
Class 38158
Grade RC-062-19-B · RC-062 Technical Employees
$6,460.00 – $9,337.00 a month
$77,520 – $112,044 a year
10 steps
  • Step 1b: $6,460.00 a month
  • Step 1a: $6,661.00 a month
  • Step 1: $6,768.00 a month
  • Step 2: $7,114.00 a month
  • Step 3: $7,448.00 a month
  • Step 4: $7,793.00 a month
  • Step 5: $8,124.00 a month
  • Step 6: $8,463.00 a month
  • Step 7: $8,979.00 a month
  • Step 8: $9,337.00 a month
Grade RC-062-19-Q · RC-062 Technical Employees
$6,748.00 – $9,757.00 a month
$80,976 – $117,084 a year
10 steps
  • Step 1b: $6,748.00 a month
  • Step 1a: $6,958.00 a month
  • Step 1: $7,074.00 a month
  • Step 2: $7,438.00 a month
  • Step 3: $7,780.00 a month
  • Step 4: $8,152.00 a month
  • Step 5: $8,489.00 a month
  • Step 6: $8,847.00 a month
  • Step 7: $9,379.00 a month
  • Step 8: $9,757.00 a month
Grade RC-062-19-S · RC-062 Technical Employees
$6,856.00 – $9,876.00 a month
$82,272 – $118,512 a year
10 steps
  • Step 1b: $6,856.00 a month
  • Step 1a: $7,074.00 a month
  • Step 1: $7,195.00 a month
  • Step 2: $7,556.00 a month
  • Step 3: $7,900.00 a month
  • Step 4: $8,264.00 a month
  • Step 5: $8,609.00 a month
  • Step 6: $8,964.00 a month
  • Step 7: $9,496.00 a month
  • Step 8: $9,876.00 a month
Grade MS-21-4 · Merit Compensation System salary ranges (MS)
$6,460.00 – $9,337.00 a month
$77,520 – $112,044 a year

Rates are as the plan publishes them; "a year" figures are conversions. Classes are matched to this job by title (GovJobsWiki editorial rule).

Source: Illinois Department of Central Management Services, Illinois CMS Alphabetic Index of Position Titles (FY 2027, effective July 1, 2026, corrected edition). Data captured September 30, 2026.

Pay in Illinois, all employers Sourced

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

MeasureIL
Workers4,140
10th percentile$37,280
Median$49,350
90th percentile$75,020
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 Illinois

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