State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
The median pay for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors is $64,330 a year ($30.93/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 3.5% through 2034, with about 31,000 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: Master's degree.
SOC 21-1012Community and Social ServiceLast updated August 23, 2026
- Median pay
- $64,330
- Projected growth
- +3.5%
- Openings a year
- 31,000
- Typical education
- Master's
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Academic Advisor, Academic Counselor, Admissions Counselor, Career Counselor, College Counselor, Elementary School Counselor.
How much do Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors make?
10th percentile$45,020
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$51,270
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$64,330
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$82,870
Upper quartile
90th percentile$104,770
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $64,330 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $30.93/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $71,430 |
| People employed | 353,310 |
Versus all US occupations
At $64,330, Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors earn 26% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $13,350 a year.
Versus community and social service occupations
Inside the Community and Social Service group, where the middle occupation pays $60,320, this is 7% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $104,770 or more while the bottom 10% earn $45,020, a gap of 2.3×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 50% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
California posts the highest raw median ($86,500), but once local prices are taken into account New Mexico leads at $84,458 in national-average dollars.
Which states pay Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $86,500 | $78,125 | 45,140 |
| Alaska | $82,900 | $80,989 | 540 |
| Washington | $82,670 | $77,252 | 6,610 |
| District of Columbia | $80,470 | $73,220 | 1,690 |
| Massachusetts | $79,930 | $75,579 | 11,460 |
| New Jersey | $77,910 | $71,605 | 8,190 |
| New Mexico | $77,880 | $84,458 | 1,780 |
| Maryland | $75,820 | $72,238 | 6,600 |
| Rhode Island | $75,000 | $73,328 | 1,340 |
| Delaware | $74,070 | $74,212 | 1,700 |
Is Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor a growing career?
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors3.5%
All US occupations3.1%
+3.5% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors to change 3.5% over 2024–2034, against 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 13,300 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 31,000 openings are projected each year, 8.2% of the 376,300 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Schools are expected to hire more counselors and advisors to respond to the developmental, academic, and career-planning needs of their students. Demand for career counselors is projected to increase as a growing number of colleges and universities open career centers that focus on helping students prepare to enter the workforce.
Career counselors and advisors also will be needed to assist jobseekers, such as those changing careers, laid-off workers looking for jobs, and military veterans transitioning into the civilian labor market.
How to become an Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor
This SOC occupation covers two very different situations. Public school counselors must hold a state-issued credential — called a certification, license, or endorsement depending on the state — which typically requires a master's degree in school counseling, a supervised internship or practicum, and a passing test score. College academic and career advisors in the same occupation usually need no license at all: employers may simply prefer a bachelor's degree and relevant work experience, though some states do require licensure for career counselors.
The credential path, step by step
- Earn a bachelor's degree
Any major will do for entry to a school counseling master's program. For a college academic or career advising role, a bachelor's plus relevant work experience is often what employers prefer, and this step may be the whole requirement.
- Complete a master's degree in school counseling
Nearly all states and the District of Columbia require school counselors to have a master's degree, typically in a field such as counseling or psychology. Many candidates choose a CACREP-accredited School Counseling program; CACREP-accredited entry-level programs require at least 60 semester credit hours.
- Complete a supervised practicum and internship
CACREP requires a minimum 100-hour practicum, including at least 40 hours of direct client service, followed by a 600-hour supervised internship in the specialized practice area. New York State independently requires the same 100-hour practicum and 600-hour internship in a K-12 school setting for its School Counselor certificate.
- Pass the examination your state accepts
Obtaining the state credential typically requires successful completion of a test. Many states use the ETS Praxis School Counselor test (5422); others use their own, such as New York's Content Specialty Test. Confirm which test your certifying state accepts before you register.
- Apply to your state department of education for the school counselor credential
This state-issued credential — certification, license, or endorsement, depending on the state — is what allows you to practice in a public school. Most states also require a criminal background check as part of the process.
Exams you have to pass
Praxis School Counselor (Praxis 5422)
A 120-minute, 120-question selected-response test taken as part of state school counselor certification. ETS advises confirming that your certifying state accepts this test before registering, because states choose their own examinations.
Administered by Educational Testing Service (ETS).
- Program accreditation
CACREP · Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs
CACREP is the specialized accreditor for counseling programs and accredits School Counseling as an entry-level specialized practice area. Accreditation is voluntary: programs submit a self-study for peer review. Since 1 July 2020 all CACREP-accredited entry-level degree programs must be at least 60 semester credit hours. CACREP accreditation is a common route to meeting a state's educational requirement but is not universally mandated — states set their own program-approval rules.
- How long the training takes
A master's degree in school counseling or a related field such as counseling or psychology. Nearly all states and the District of Columbia require school counselors to hold one.
CACREP-accredited entry-level programs require a minimum of 60 semester credit hours (or 90 quarter hours). Individual states set their own totals — New York, for example, requires 48 graduate semester hours for the Initial School Counselor certificate and 60 for the Professional certificate.
Licensing and state variation
Licensed state by state
Public school counselors must hold a state-issued credential, which the state may call a certification, a license, or an endorsement. What differs between states is the graduate credit-hour total, the accepted examination, the practicum and internship hours, and whether an initial credential can later be upgraded to a professional one. Most states require a criminal background check as part of credentialing. Some employers prefer or require candidates to have classroom teaching experience or a teaching license before certification. Career counselors and academic advisors are treated differently: some states require licensure for career counselors, but college academic and career advisors typically need no license at all — employers may prefer a bachelor's degree and work experience, with optional certifications available from some professional associations.
Who governs the credential
- State departments of education — Each state's education agency issues and defines the credential that public school counselors must hold; there is no national license. New York State's Education Department, for example, sets its own graduate coursework, practicum, internship, and examination requirements for the Initial and Professional School Counselor certificates.
- Educational Testing Service (ETS) — Administers the Praxis School Counselor test, which many states accept as the required test for school counselor certification. Not every state uses it — New York, for instance, uses its own Content Specialty Test.
Credential detail for educational, guidance, and career counselor and advisors is researched by hand from the bodies that issue it, not derived from BLS or O*NET. Sources last checked August 23, 2026. Requirements change: confirm with your own state board before enrolling in anything.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook — School and Career Counselors and Advisors · checked August 23, 2026
- CACREP — About CACREP · checked August 23, 2026
- CACREP — Section 1: The Learning Environment (2024 Standards) · checked August 23, 2026
- CACREP — Section 4: Professional Practice (2024 Standards) · checked August 23, 2026
- CACREP — Section 5-H: Entry-Level Specialized Practice Areas, School Counseling · checked August 23, 2026
- ETS Praxis — School Counselor (5422) · checked August 23, 2026
- New York State Education Department — Initial and Professional School Counselor Certificate Requirements · checked August 23, 2026
What the federal data says
School counselors typically must have a master’s degree in school counseling or a related field and have a state-issued credential. Some states require licensure for career counselors and advisors.
| Typical entry-level education | Master's degree |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Considerable preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | None |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors.
- Bachelor's Degree56.3%
- Master's Degree40.7%
- Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)2.5%
- Post-Master's Certificate0.5%
What does an Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor do?
Advise and assist students and provide educational and vocational guidance services.
School counselors help students develop academic and social skills and plans for after graduation. Career counselors and advisors help students and other clients develop skills, explore an occupation, or choose an educational program that will lead to a career.
Day-to-day tasks
- Attend meetings, educational conferences, and training workshops, and serve on committees.
- Counsel students regarding educational issues, such as course and program selection, class scheduling and registration, school adjustment, truancy, study habits, and career planning.
- Prepare students for later educational experiences by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
- Counsel individuals or groups to help them understand and overcome personal, social, or behavioral problems affecting their educational or vocational situations.
- Provide students with information on topics such as college degree programs and admission requirements, financial aid opportunities, trade and technical schools, and apprenticeship programs.
- Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.
- Refer students to outside counseling services.
- Refer students to degree programs based on interests, aptitudes, or educational assessments.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Both types of counselors and advisors usually work full time. Most counselors and advisors who work in schools and colleges may not work when school is not in session, such as during the summer.
Where the work happens
- Indoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day
Physical demands
- Seated for more than half the working day
Working with people
- Constant contact with other people
- Face-to-face discussions every day
- Dealing with customers or the public is very important
Pressure and stakes
- Handling conflict situations at least monthly
Autonomy
- A lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey, showing only the signals people in the job report decisively one way or the other.
Where educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors work
| Elementary and secondary schools; local | 39% |
|---|---|
| Junior colleges, colleges, universities, and professional schools; state and local (6112,3) | 24% |
| Junior colleges, colleges, universities, and professional schools; private (6112,3) | 14% |
| Elementary and secondary schools; private | 6% |
| Other educational services; private (6114-7) | 4% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Active Listening4.4/5
- Speaking4.1/5
- Reading Comprehension3.9/5
- Writing3.9/5
- Critical Thinking3.9/5
- Active Learning3.8/5
- Learning Strategies3.8/5
- Monitoring3.8/5
Transferable skills
- Social Perceptiveness4.1/5
- Service Orientation4.0/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.8/5
- Coordination3.6/5
- Persuasion3.6/5
- Instructing3.6/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.6/5
- Negotiation3.4/5
Tools and software
- Data base reporting software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Project management software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Web page creation and editing software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits an Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realistic1.0
Investigative3.3
Artistic3.1
Socialprimary7.0
Enterprisingprimary3.9
Conventionalprimary4.1
Day to day this is work built around teaching, helping and working directly with other people, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor: frequently asked questions
How much do Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors make?
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors earn a median of $64,330 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 26% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $30.93/hr. The middle half earn between $51,270 and $82,870. The top 10% earn $104,770 or more.
Do you need a degree to become an Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor?
Yes. BLS reports a master's degree as the typical entry-level education for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as considerable preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 56.3% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 3.5% over 2024–2034, about the same as the 3.1% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 31,000 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does an Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor do?
School counselors help students develop academic and social skills and plans for after graduation. A core O*NET task: attend meetings, educational conferences, and training workshops, and serve on committees. Employers most often ask for Data base reporting software, Data base user interface and query software, Document management software.
Which states pay Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors the most?
The highest state medians for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors are California ($86,500), Alaska ($82,900), Washington ($82,670) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, New Mexico moves to the top at $84,458.
What personality type suits an Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor?
O*NET scores Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors highest on the Social, Conventional and Enterprising interest areas, so the work mixes teaching, helping and working directly with other people with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ENFJ, ESFJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.
How long does it take to become an Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor?
A master's degree in school counseling or a related field such as counseling or psychology. Nearly all states and the District of Columbia require school counselors to hold one. CACREP-accredited entry-level programs require a minimum of 60 semester credit hours (or 90 quarter hours). Individual states set their own totals — New York, for example, requires 48 graduate semester hours for the Initial School Counselor certificate and 60 for the Professional certificate.
Do you need a license to work as an Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor?
Yes, and it is issued by the state you work in, not nationally. Public school counselors must hold a state-issued credential, which the state may call a certification, a license, or an endorsement. What differs between states is the graduate credit-hour total, the accepted examination, the practicum and internship hours, and whether an initial credential can later be upgraded to a professional one. Most states require a criminal background check as part of credentialing. Some employers prefer or require candidates to have classroom teaching experience or a teaching license before certification. Career counselors and academic advisors are treated differently: some states require licensure for career counselors, but college academic and career advisors typically need no license at all — employers may prefer a bachelor's degree and work experience, with optional certifications available from some professional associations.
What exams do you have to pass to become an Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselor and Advisor?
The Praxis 5422 (Praxis School Counselor). A 120-minute, 120-question selected-response test taken as part of state school counselor certification. ETS advises confirming that your certifying state accepts this test before registering, because states choose their own examinations.