Financial Counselors: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of financial 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 financial 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 financial 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 financial counselors.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Financial Counselors?
Do financial counselors need a degree? What kind of experience do financial 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 financial counselors to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Financial Counselors
Jobs Postings for Financial Counselors By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 43,444 (42%)
- No Education Listed: 29,842 (29%)
- High School or GED: 16,173 (16%)
- Master's degree: 8,331 (8%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 6,367 (6%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of financial counselors. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 42% of positions. In 29% of job listings no education level was listed and in 16% of postings a High School diploma or GED was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Financial Counselors
Jobs Postings for Financial Counselors By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 12,965 (25%)
- 2-3 Years: 23,370 (46%)
- 4-6 Years: 10,246 (20%)
- 7-9 Years: 2,341 (5%)
- 10+ Years: 2,316 (5%)
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 financial counselors. In 46% of job postings for Financial Counselors, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 25% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 20% of job postings for financial counselors.
What Kind of Degree Do Financial Counselors Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for financial 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 7 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective financial counselors, and in 2021 a total of 63,121 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 financial counselors.
Top Degree Programs for Financial Counselors
Top 5 Degree Programs for Financial Counselors (2021)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Finance, General. | 51,430 |
| Financial Planning and Services. | 4,087 |
| Accounting and Finance. | 3,644 |
| Insurance. | 1,809 |
| Banking and Financial Support Services. | 991 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Finance, General. | 51,430 |
| Financial Planning and Services. | 4,087 |
| Accounting and Finance. | 3,644 |
| Insurance. | 1,809 |
| Banking and Financial Support Services. | 991 |
| Accounting and Related Services, Other. | 814 |
| Investments and Securities. | 346 |
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What Skills Do Financial Counselors Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by financial 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 financial counselors, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Financial Counselors
Based on 89,729 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Financial Counselors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Financial Services | 34,066 | 38% |
| Investments | 29,057 | 32% |
| Finance | 17,967 | 20% |
| Financial Planning | 17,182 | 19% |
| Marketing | 15,154 | 17% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Financial Counselors
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 35,804 | 40% |
| Sales | 29,803 | 33% |
| Customer Service | 26,021 | 29% |
| Management | 18,935 | 21% |
| Planning | 18,187 | 20% |
Based on 89,729 job postings related to financial counselors, financial services was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 38% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for investments, finance, financial planning, marketing and accounting were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for financial counselors, followed by sales, customer service, management, planning and leadership.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Financial Services | 34,066 | 38% |
| Investments | 29,057 | 32% |
| Finance | 17,967 | 20% |
| Financial Planning | 17,182 | 19% |
| Marketing | 15,154 | 17% |
| Accounting | 14,598 | 16% |
| Sales Prospecting | 14,491 | 16% |
| Wealth Management | 11,683 | 13% |
| Financial Industry Regulatory Authorities | 10,950 | 12% |
| Customer Relationship Management | 10,891 | 12% |
| Auditing | 9,538 | 11% |
| Securities (Finance) | 9,450 | 11% |
| Due Diligence | 8,520 | 9% |
| Business Development | 7,661 | 9% |
| Financial Market | 7,011 | 8% |
| Billing | 6,174 | 7% |
| Loans | 5,952 | 7% |
| Financial Analysis | 5,032 | 6% |
| Banking | 4,485 | 5% |
| Customer Acquisition Management | 4,368 | 5% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 35,804 | 40% |
| Sales | 29,803 | 33% |
| Customer Service | 26,021 | 29% |
| Management | 18,935 | 21% |
| Planning | 18,187 | 20% |
| Leadership | 17,490 | 19% |
| Presentations | 15,217 | 17% |
| Coaching | 14,660 | 16% |
| Self-Motivation | 12,729 | 14% |
| Multitasking | 12,172 | 14% |
| Detail Oriented | 12,119 | 14% |
| Computer Literacy | 11,323 | 13% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 11,080 | 12% |
| Problem Solving | 10,841 | 12% |
| Writing | 10,365 | 12% |
| Research | 9,774 | 11% |
| Microsoft Excel | 9,407 | 10% |
| Teamwork | 8,503 | 9% |
| Mentorship | 8,302 | 9% |
| Operations | 7,867 | 9% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about financial counselors? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for financial counselors.
What do financial counselors do?
How much do financial counselors make?
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