School Counselor Job Overview | Best Jobs

Overall Score

(3.0 out of 5)

Number of Jobs

53,400

Median Salary

$53,600

Unemployment Rate

4.9 percent

This Job is Ranked in
Best Social Services Jobs	^#12
The 100 Best Jobs	^#76

Don’t let one of the more than 260,000 professionals currently working in this vocation hear you utter the term “guidance counselor.” Apparently, that would be so 1980. The men and women who provide academic, personal and developmental support to school-age children prefer the name “school counselor” these days. But that term doesn’t scratch the tip of the chalkboard for the duties of the profession. Elementary school counselors interact with young kids, either individually or in small groups, acting as a sounding board for all of their day-to-day activities. They may also assist teachers in assessing students’ abilities and interests, and they ensure children with different needs receive proper care and education. High school counselors have similar responsibilities, but they also help teens transition from secondary school into the workforce or collegiate life. They could assist students with college application materials, coordinating study trips, proctoring entrance tests and chaperoning college visits. They may also help a young person pick a career path and help him or her enter an apprenticeship. “It is one of the best professions in the world,” says Gail M. Smith, a school counseling director for the Cobb County School District in Georgia and a board member with the American School Counselor Association. “We get to work with students and see them achieve.”

By 2022, the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects nearly a 12 percent increase in employment for educational, guidance, school and vocational counselors, which translates to an impressive 31,200 new jobs. However, employment growth depends on state and local government budgets, as cuts to education funding may impact hiring.

Salary

The Labor Department reports that school counselors brought home a median salary of $53,600 last year. The best-paid made $86,870, while the lowest-paid earned about $31,850. Elementary and secondary schools employ the most school counselors, followed by colleges and universities. The top earners live in the metropolitan areas of El Centro, California; Nassau, New York; and Merced, California.

Salary Range
75th Percentile	$69,520
Median	$53,600
25th Percentile	$40,940

Training

Working in counseling requires a significant amount of training. Specific requirements to earn a practicing license or certificate vary by state, but most school counselors must have at least a master’s degree. During their time at an accredited degree program, an aspiring counselor will most likely get supervised experience in the field, and some states require applicants to have one to two years of classroom teaching experience before receiving certification. Many public school systems prefer candidates to have both counseling and teaching certificates.

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Reviews and Advice

This might be a fast-growing profession, but competition to land jobs is still intense, particularly in some school districts. That’s one reason Smith recommends prospective counselors begin thinking about job placement early on. “I always recommend that candidates become involved in a national counseling organization while they’re still in their graduate program,” she says. “That gives them networking opportunities that they might otherwise miss.” Hopefuls should also look for ways to work with children. “I want to know that the applicant enjoys working with children,” Smith says. “If there’s no mention of children on the résumé, then I’m going to put them aside.”