How to Become a School Counselor
Help students develop academic and social skills and plan for college and career readiness. It typically requires a master's degree, with a median salary of $64,330 per year and about average projected job growth.
Median pay
$64,330/yr
Middle half
$51,270 to $82,870
Job growth
About average
Openings / yr
31,000
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- Counseling
- College and Career Advising
- Crisis Intervention
- Communication
- Cultural Competency
Helpful certifications
- National Certified Counselor (NCC)
- State School Counselor License
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
15/100
Work-life balance
60/100
Stress level
52/100
Satisfaction
74/100
Related careers
- School Principal (K-12 Administrator)$105,870 median
- College Administrator (Postsecondary)$104,590 median
- School Psychologist$95,990 median
- Instructional Coordinator$77,440 median
- Teacher (Secondary Education)$72,040 median
- Librarian$68,270 median
Frequently asked questions
How much does a School Counselor make?
The median pay for a School Counselor is $64,330 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $51,270 and $82,870 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become a School Counselor?
The usual entry point is a master's degree. Common majors are School Counseling, Counseling Psychology, Education, Psychology, and Human Development and Family Studies.
Is School Counselor a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is about average (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 31,000 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does a School Counselor use most?
Common skills for this role are Counseling, College and Career Advising, Crisis Intervention, Communication, and Cultural Competency.
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Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).