Salary Data
National W-2 median: $46,440. Self-employed top earners average $155,980 once they build a book of 40+ active clients. Figures blend BLS "Credit Counselors" (13-2071), Salary.com, and ZipRecruiter 2024–2026 data, cost-of-living adjusted per state.
| State | Entry (10th %) | Median | Top (90th %) | Self-employed high |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $41k | $59k | $96k | $210k |
| New York | $42k | $58k | $95k | $195k |
| Massachusetts | $41k | $57k | $92k | $185k |
| Connecticut | $39k | $55k | $88k | $178k |
| New Jersey | $39k | $55k | $89k | $180k |
| Washington | $39k | $54k | $87k | $175k |
| Maryland | $38k | $53k | $85k | $175k |
| Hawaii | $39k | $52k | $84k | $162k |
| Colorado | $37k | $52k | $83k | $172k |
| Alaska | $36k | $51k | $82k | $165k |
| Illinois | $36k | $50k | $80k | $170k |
| New Hampshire | $36k | $50k | $80k | $165k |
| Virginia | $36k | $50k | $80k | $168k |
| Minnesota | $35k | $49k | $79k | $165k |
| Oregon | $35k | $49k | $79k | $162k |
| Delaware | $35k | $48k | $77k | $150k |
| Rhode Island | $35k | $48k | $78k | $155k |
| Pennsylvania | $34k | $48k | $77k | $158k |
| Nevada | $34k | $47k | $76k | $160k |
| Texas | $34k | $47k | $76k | $175k |
| Utah | $34k | $47k | $76k | $158k |
| Vermont | $34k | $47k | $75k | $150k |
| Arizona | $33k | $46k | $74k | $158k |
| Florida | $33k | $46k | $74k | $168k |
| North Carolina | $33k | $46k | $73k | $155k |
| Wisconsin | $33k | $46k | $73k | $152k |
| Maine | $33k | $45k | $72k | $150k |
| Georgia | $32k | $44k | $71k | $155k |
| Michigan | $32k | $44k | $71k | $152k |
| Ohio | $32k | $44k | $70k | $150k |
| Tennessee | $32k | $44k | $71k | $150k |
| Indiana | $31k | $44k | $70k | $148k |
| Missouri | $31k | $44k | $70k | $148k |
| Louisiana | $31k | $43k | $69k | $146k |
| Alabama | $30k | $43k | $68k | $145k |
| Iowa | $31k | $43k | $68k | $144k |
| Montana | $31k | $43k | $68k | $140k |
| Nebraska | $31k | $43k | $69k | $142k |
| North Dakota | $31k | $43k | $68k | $140k |
| South Carolina | $31k | $43k | $68k | $145k |
| Kansas | $30k | $42k | $67k | $142k |
| South Dakota | $30k | $42k | $67k | $140k |
| Wyoming | $30k | $42k | $67k | $140k |
| Idaho | $30k | $42k | $66k | $138k |
| Kentucky | $30k | $42k | $67k | $140k |
| New Mexico | $30k | $42k | $67k | $138k |
| Oklahoma | $30k | $42k | $67k | $140k |
| Arkansas | $29k | $40k | $63k | $135k |
| West Virginia | $29k | $40k | $64k | $135k |
| Mississippi | $28k | $39k | $63k | $130k |
W-2 credit-repair agents work a phone queue at a national CRO — pay is capped by base + small commission. A self-employed pro who runs their own CROA-compliant practice keeps 100% of the setup fee ($99–$499), the monthly fee ($79–$149/client), and any lender referral revenue. A steady 40-client book at $100/mo nets roughly $48k/yr in monthly fees alone before setup fees and affiliate revenue.