Clinical Counselors: How to Become One

If you were to ask a group of clinical 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 clinical 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 clinical 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 clinical counselors.

What Education & Experience is Needed for Clinical Counselors?

Do clinical counselors need a degree? What kind of experience do clinical 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 clinical counselors to secure jobs.

Education Level Required in Job Postings for Clinical Counselors

A master's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of clinical counselors. According to job data, a master's degree was required for 38% of positions. In 18% of job listings a bachelor's degree was required and in 18% of postings no education level was listed.

Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Clinical Counselors

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 clinical counselors. In 53% of job postings for Clinical Counselors, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 34% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 12% of job postings for clinical counselors.

What Kind of Degree Do Clinical Counselors Need?

So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for clinical 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 13 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective clinical counselors, and in 2023 a total of 282,282 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 clinical counselors.

Top Degree Programs for Clinical Counselors

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 Clinical Counselors

What Skills Do Clinical Counselors Need?

Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by clinical 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 clinical counselors, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.

In-Demand Skills for Today's Clinical Counselors
Based on 125,831 job postings

Based on 125,831 job postings related to clinical counselors, mental health was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 51% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for treatment planning, psychology, social work, behavioral health and substance abuse were also highly sought.

As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for clinical counselors, followed by management, ethical standards and conduct, coordinating, planning and leadership.

Additional Links

Ready to dig deeper into career information about clinical counselors? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for clinical counselors.

What do clinical counselors do?
How much do clinical 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.

View Other Occupations