Youth Care Counselors: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of youth care counselors about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for youth care counselors to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of youth care counselors expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for youth care counselors.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Youth Care Counselors?
Do youth care counselors need a degree? What kind of experience do youth care counselors typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for youth care counselors to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Youth Care Counselors
Jobs Postings for Youth Care Counselors By Education
- High School or GED: 44,402 (35%)
- Bachelor's degree: 29,606 (23%)
- No Education Listed: 28,210 (22%)
- Master's degree: 23,889 (19%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 2,458 (2%)
High School or GED is the level of education sought the most by employers of youth care counselors. According to job data, a High School diploma or GED was required for 35% of positions. In 23% of job listings a bachelor's degree was required and in 22% of postings no education level was listed.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Youth Care Counselors
Jobs Postings for Youth Care Counselors By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 20,604 (57%)
- 2-3 Years: 12,938 (36%)
- 4-6 Years: 1,651 (5%)
- 7-9 Years: 215 (1%)
- 10+ Years: 634 (2%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for youth care counselors. In 57% of job postings for Youth Care Counselors, employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience. In 36% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 5% of job postings for youth care counselors.
What Kind of Degree Do Youth Care Counselors Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for youth care counselors, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 5 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective youth care counselors, and in 2023 a total of 201,936 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective youth care counselors.
Top Degree Programs for Youth Care Counselors
Top 5 Degree Programs for Youth Care Counselors (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Social Work. | 58,001 |
| Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling. | 177 |
| Executive/Career Coaching. | 90 |
| Thanatology. | 8 |
Top Online College For Working Adults
Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Degree Options for Youth Care Counselors
Leverage advances in positive psychology and executive coaching to impact the development of individuals, teams, and communities.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
What Skills Do Youth Care Counselors Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by youth care counselors to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for youth care counselors, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Youth Care Counselors
Based on 105,482 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Youth Care Counselors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Autism Spectrum Disorders | 38,828 | 37% |
| Treatment Planning | 28,182 | 27% |
| Applied Behavior Analysis | 26,754 | 25% |
| Psychology | 22,817 | 22% |
| Working With Children | 20,303 | 19% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Youth Care Counselors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 39,751 | 38% |
| Teaching | 19,915 | 19% |
| Social Skills | 9,173 | 9% |
| Writing | 9,087 | 9% |
| Problem Solving | 9,077 | 9% |
Based on 105,482 job postings related to youth care counselors, autism spectrum disorders was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 37% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for treatment planning, applied behavior analysis, psychology, working with children and data collection were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for youth care counselors, followed by teaching, social skills, writing, problem solving and management.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Autism Spectrum Disorders | 38,828 | 37% |
| Treatment Planning | 28,182 | 27% |
| Applied Behavior Analysis | 26,754 | 25% |
| Psychology | 22,817 | 22% |
| Working With Children | 20,303 | 19% |
| Data Collection | 19,207 | 18% |
| Intervention Plans | 13,791 | 13% |
| Special Education | 12,137 | 12% |
| Developmental Disabilities | 12,103 | 11% |
| Social Work | 9,447 | 9% |
| Mental Health | 9,162 | 9% |
| Behavioral Health | 8,940 | 8% |
| Behaviour Therapy | 8,170 | 8% |
| Caregiving | 7,991 | 8% |
| Individualized Education Programs (IEP) | 6,872 | 7% |
| Behavior Management | 6,264 | 6% |
| Functional Behavior Assessment | 5,959 | 6% |
| Disabilities | 5,940 | 6% |
| Crisis Intervention | 5,289 | 5% |
| Positive Behavior Support | 5,276 | 5% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 39,751 | 38% |
| Teaching | 19,915 | 19% |
| Social Skills | 9,173 | 9% |
| Writing | 9,087 | 9% |
| Problem Solving | 9,077 | 9% |
| Management | 8,542 | 8% |
| Leadership | 8,221 | 8% |
| Lifting Ability | 8,131 | 8% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 7,981 | 8% |
| Research | 6,942 | 7% |
| Planning | 6,680 | 6% |
| Mentorship | 6,647 | 6% |
| Professionalism | 6,585 | 6% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 6,144 | 6% |
| Compassion | 6,037 | 6% |
| Time Management | 5,972 | 6% |
| Organizational Skills | 5,321 | 5% |
| Detail Oriented | 5,299 | 5% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 5,013 | 5% |
| Patience | 4,813 | 5% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about youth care counselors? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for youth care counselors.
What do youth care counselors do?
How much do youth care counselors make?
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.