Military and Family Life Counselors: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of military and family life 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 military and family life 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 military and family life 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 military and family life counselors.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Military and Family Life Counselors?
Do military and family life counselors need a degree? What kind of experience do military and family life 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 military and family life counselors to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Military and Family Life Counselors
Jobs Postings for Military and Family Life Counselors By Education
- Master's degree: 24,776 (45%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 10,252 (19%)
- No Education Listed: 10,206 (18%)
- Bachelor's degree: 5,863 (11%)
- High School or GED: 4,106 (7%)
A master's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of military and family life counselors. According to job data, a master's degree was required for 45% of positions. In 19% of job listings a ph.d. or professional degree was required and in 18% of postings no education level was listed.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Military and Family Life Counselors
Jobs Postings for Military and Family Life Counselors By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 6,074 (39%)
- 2-3 Years: 8,178 (53%)
- 4-6 Years: 1,192 (8%)
- 7-9 Years: 77 (0%)
- 10+ Years: 50 (0%)
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 military and family life counselors. In 53% of job postings for Military and Family Life Counselors, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 39% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 8% of job postings for military and family life counselors.
What Kind of Degree Do Military and Family Life Counselors Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for military and family life 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 14 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective military and family life counselors, and in 2023 a total of 234,436 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 military and family life counselors.
Top Degree Programs for Military and Family Life Counselors
Top 5 Degree Programs for Military and Family Life Counselors (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Social Work. | 58,001 |
| Human Services, General. | 11,590 |
| Human Development and Family Studies, General. | 8,321 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,777 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Social Work. | 58,001 |
| Human Services, General. | 11,590 |
| Human Development and Family Studies, General. | 8,321 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,777 |
| Marriage and Family Therapy/Counseling. | 3,898 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General. | 2,454 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services, Other. | 540 |
| Family Systems. | 432 |
| Business Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences. | 429 |
| Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling. | 177 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, Other. | 142 |
| Work and Family Studies. | 10 |
| Medical Family Therapy/Therapist. | 5 |
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What Skills Do Military and Family Life Counselors Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by military and family life 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 military and family life counselors, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Military and Family Life Counselors
Based on 46,798 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Military and Family Life Counselors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 17,176 | 37% |
| Mental Health | 16,591 | 35% |
| Treatment Planning | 16,484 | 35% |
| Social Work | 16,420 | 35% |
| Family Therapy | 15,310 | 33% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Military and Family Life Counselors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 9,868 | 21% |
| Leadership | 4,986 | 11% |
| Management | 4,381 | 9% |
| Planning | 4,371 | 9% |
| Scheduling | 4,065 | 9% |
Based on 46,798 job postings related to military and family life counselors, psychology was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 37% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for mental health, treatment planning, social work, family therapy and behavioral health were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for military and family life counselors, followed by leadership, management, planning, scheduling and ethical standards and conduct.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 17,176 | 37% |
| Mental Health | 16,591 | 35% |
| Treatment Planning | 16,484 | 35% |
| Social Work | 16,420 | 35% |
| Family Therapy | 15,310 | 33% |
| Behavioral Health | 12,022 | 26% |
| Psychotherapy | 7,955 | 17% |
| Crisis Intervention | 6,449 | 14% |
| Psychiatry | 6,346 | 14% |
| Case Management | 6,256 | 13% |
| Group Therapy | 5,928 | 13% |
| Telehealth | 5,276 | 11% |
| Substance Abuse | 4,995 | 11% |
| Clinical Psychology | 4,252 | 9% |
| Trauma Care | 4,100 | 9% |
| Discharge Planning | 3,784 | 8% |
| Marketing | 3,635 | 8% |
| Autism Spectrum Disorders | 3,478 | 7% |
| Billing | 3,460 | 7% |
| Behaviour Therapy | 3,380 | 7% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 9,868 | 21% |
| Leadership | 4,986 | 11% |
| Management | 4,381 | 9% |
| Planning | 4,371 | 9% |
| Scheduling | 4,065 | 9% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 3,978 | 9% |
| Coordinating | 3,416 | 7% |
| Teaching | 2,825 | 6% |
| Writing | 2,808 | 6% |
| Advocacy | 2,801 | 6% |
| Customer Service | 2,712 | 6% |
| Presentations | 2,698 | 6% |
| Professionalism | 2,620 | 6% |
| Problem Solving | 2,590 | 6% |
| Good Driving Record | 2,280 | 5% |
| Time Management | 2,275 | 5% |
| Self-Discipline | 2,270 | 5% |
| Multilingualism | 2,234 | 5% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 2,110 | 5% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 2,110 | 5% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about military and family life counselors? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for military and family life counselors.
What do military and family life counselors do?
How much do military and family life counselors make?
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