School Counselors: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of school 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 school 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 school 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 school counselors.
What Education & Experience is Needed for School Counselors?
Do school counselors need a degree? What kind of experience do school 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 school counselors to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for School Counselors
Jobs Postings for School Counselors By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 61,612 (39%)
- Master's degree: 38,062 (24%)
- No Education Listed: 26,734 (17%)
- High School or GED: 23,555 (15%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 6,310 (4%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of school counselors. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 39% of positions. In 24% of job listings a master's degree was required and in 17% of postings no education level was listed.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for School Counselors
Jobs Postings for School Counselors By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 17,944 (30%)
- 2-3 Years: 31,269 (52%)
- 4-6 Years: 9,419 (16%)
- 7-9 Years: 1,141 (2%)
- 10+ Years: 906 (1%)
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 school counselors. In 52% of job postings for School Counselors, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 30% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 16% of job postings for school counselors.
What Kind of Degree Do School Counselors Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for school 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 9 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective school counselors, and in 2023 a total of 242,357 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 school counselors.
Top Degree Programs for School Counselors
Top 5 Degree Programs for School Counselors (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Political Science and Government, General. | 44,606 |
| Sociology, General. | 33,034 |
| Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services. | 13,000 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,777 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Political Science and Government, General. | 44,606 |
| Sociology, General. | 33,034 |
| Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services. | 13,000 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,777 |
| Human Resources Development. | 1,731 |
| College Student Counseling and Personnel Services. | 1,036 |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services, Other. | 423 |
| Executive/Career Coaching. | 90 |
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What Skills Do School Counselors Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by school 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 school counselors, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's School Counselors
Based on 121,633 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for School Counselors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Student Services | 21,915 | 18% |
| Academic Advising | 15,626 | 13% |
| School Counseling | 15,419 | 13% |
| Social Work | 12,713 | 10% |
| Psychology | 11,067 | 9% |
Top 5 Common Skills for School Counselors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 56,711 | 47% |
| Planning | 29,304 | 24% |
| Writing | 27,272 | 22% |
| Customer Service | 23,593 | 19% |
| Leadership | 23,487 | 19% |
Based on 121,633 job postings related to school counselors, student services was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 18% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for academic advising, school counseling, social work, psychology and marketing were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for school counselors, followed by planning, writing, customer service, leadership and advising.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Student Services | 21,915 | 18% |
| Academic Advising | 15,626 | 13% |
| School Counseling | 15,419 | 13% |
| Social Work | 12,713 | 10% |
| Psychology | 11,067 | 9% |
| Marketing | 11,055 | 9% |
| Case Management | 8,677 | 7% |
| Higher Education | 7,146 | 6% |
| Student Engagement | 6,450 | 5% |
| Student Information Systems | 6,437 | 5% |
| Mental Health | 6,362 | 5% |
| Human Services | 6,299 | 5% |
| Auditing | 6,229 | 5% |
| Customer Relationship Management | 5,672 | 5% |
| Project Management | 5,623 | 5% |
| Student Recruitment | 5,430 | 4% |
| Office Equipment | 5,347 | 4% |
| Data Analysis | 5,255 | 4% |
| Disabilities | 5,077 | 4% |
| Career Management | 5,049 | 4% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 56,711 | 47% |
| Planning | 29,304 | 24% |
| Writing | 27,272 | 22% |
| Customer Service | 23,593 | 19% |
| Leadership | 23,487 | 19% |
| Advising | 22,557 | 19% |
| Management | 22,251 | 18% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 20,924 | 17% |
| Presentations | 18,276 | 15% |
| Coordinating | 17,939 | 15% |
| Teaching | 17,056 | 14% |
| Microsoft Office | 17,049 | 14% |
| Problem Solving | 16,970 | 14% |
| Coaching | 15,572 | 13% |
| Research | 15,527 | 13% |
| Detail Oriented | 15,201 | 12% |
| Organizational Skills | 14,318 | 12% |
| Microsoft Excel | 14,005 | 12% |
| Operations | 12,940 | 11% |
| Time Management | 12,263 | 10% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about school counselors? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for school counselors.
What do school counselors do?
How much do school counselors make?
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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.