HOW TO BECOME A COUNSELOR: Counseling Degrees & Careers

Updated February 28, 2023

Learn about the education, practical steps, and experience you’ll need to become a Counselor

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Schools are complex systems, an interlocking web of facilities, technological assets, curricula and personnel. Central to this integrated structure are school counselors, professionals with specialized training in fostering not just academic achievement, but also social, psychological and overall developmental growth and maturation. School counselors require a nuanced understanding of the various challenges faced by students, along with the emotional and intellectual skills necessary to address these concerns. This guide details the steps to becoming a professional school counselor, including an overview of academic programs and the skills needed to be successful in this career.

What Does a Counselor Do?

Counseling Career Basics

Student success requires more than just a well-equipped classroom and a talented and committed teacher. Another important element in the educational process is the role played by school counselors. School counselors are employed throughout the educational system, from kindergarten up through twelfth grade, in public, private and parochial schools. They fulfill a number of responsibilities, from the day-to-day assessment of individual students, to the design and implementation of broad, longer-term programs designed to cultivate a safe and healthy learning environment. School counselors help students develop study and time management skills, plan academic goals, and manage social and behavioral problems. The specific focus of a counselor's work varies depending on factors such as the type of school, its organizational structure, and the age of the students.

The American School Counselor Association recommends a 250-to-1 ratio of students to counselors. The most recent national data, from the 2012-2013 school year, indicates the current ratio is nearly twice that, at 482-to-1.

Counselor Salaries

Some view counseling as a calling, a career that's particularly suited to those who have a deep affinity for working with kids. Others may see it as a route to career stability: as long as there are children, they will need counselors. But what's the bottom line? How much can you expect to earn as a school counselor? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for educational, guidance, school and vocational counselors as of May 2014, was $53,370, with those in the 90th percentile earning as much as $86,610. Broken down by state, the top five median annual salaries in the field stack up this way:

State Wage
New Jersey $71,201
Alaska $70,900
New York $64,820
District of Columbia $62,850
Rhode Island $62,790
State

Steps to Becoming a Counselor

Step 1
Get Your Bachelor's Degree
Virtually all states and the vast majority of employers require school counselors to hold a master's degree in school counseling or a related field. So, the first step is to earn a four-year bachelor's degree from a fully accredited program. There are few undergraduate degrees specifically in school counseling, but degrees in education, psychology, sociology, and even business administration and management are generally considered to be adequate preparation for a master's in counseling. The key as an undergraduate is to study areas across various disciplines that may have useful applications in the realm of school counseling, such as developmental psychology and the history and sociology of education.
Step 2
Earn a Master's Degree in School Counseling
With few exceptions, a master's degree is required to be a school counselor. Although a master's degree in a related field — psychology, sociology, education — can be considered adequate preparation for a career in counseling, it's more common and preferable to complete a degree specific to school counseling. School counseling is a multi-disciplinary pursuit, and requires a facility and comfort level with a number of targeted skills and methodologies. Coursework in school counseling typically includes classes in counseling techniques, academic development and social and behavioral issues, as well as the laws and ethics of counseling. Students pursuing employment as a college counselor will also complete courses in career guidance counseling, crisis intervention and trauma counseling.
Step 3
Do an Internship or Practicum
A school counselor interacts with students, parents, teachers and other staff on a daily basis. Each day brings new challenges—and sometimes crises. As such, preparing to be an effective counselor requires more than just classroom learning. Most accredited master's degrees in counseling include a practicum, or internship, as part of the core curriculum. This usually involves up to 600 hours of supervised fieldwork in schools and other professional settings. Licensure or certification is often contingent on completing an internship or practicum.
Step 4
Choose an Area of Specialization
The day-to-day challenges and overall experience of being a counselor can vary greatly depending on the size, location and type of school. Some counselors are assigned to a single school, while others may coordinate counseling activities in two or more locations. Even more crucial is the age of the students, and prospective counselors should give this important consideration. For example, counselors at the elementary level must understand the dynamics and goals of early childhood development, while at the middle-school level they will need to work with children who wrestle with new social pressures and academic challenges. By the time students reach high school, they are starting to confront the realities of adulthood even as they deal with the challenges of adolescence, bringing new challenges for counselors.
Step 5
Earn Professional Credentials
All states require public-school counselors to hold an official, state-issued credential, although specifics vary from state to state. General requirements include completion of a master's degree and an internship or practicum, as well as passing an exam. Some states also require a criminal background check as part of the credentialing process. Private schools may or may not be required by their states to employ only state-credentialed counselors. The American School Counselor Association lists specific requirements for each state.
Step 6
Continue Your Education
Every state has a formal re-certification process which happens every three to ten years. In general, the primary requirement is the completion of continuing education credits in the field of school counseling. However, in most states the re-certification process is based on a system in which points can also be accrued through attending professional conferences, developing curriculum, publishing books and journal articles on counseling, and participating in other formal activities related to professional development.
Step 7
Obtain a Doctoral Degree

While a doctorate in school counseling isn't necessary to work in the field, some professionals may choose to get one if they want to teach school counseling at the college level, or if they want to advance into an upper-level administrative, management or oversight position. There are three basic options:

  • Ph.D.Offered in counseling and school psychology; counselor education and supervision; guidance counseling; and counseling psychology.
  • Psy.D.A Doctor of Psychology degree is analogous to a Ph.D, but is historically more rooted in clinical practice than in academic study. Psy.D.s are available in school psychology and counseling psychology.
  • Ed.D.The Doctor of Education degree is essentially a Ph.D. or Pys.D. tailored for educators and educational researchers and administrators. There are Ed.D. degrees in counseling psychology; professional counseling and supervision; and educational leadership.

Education Requiments to Becoming a Counselor

Most counselors begin their career with a bachelor's degree in counseling or psychology. From there, you'll be required to receive a graduate degree, either a master's and/or doctorate, the a specific area of counseling you'd like to specialize in.

Degree Options in Counseling

Typically, students attain a bachelor's degree not in counseling itself but in a related field, such as psychology, sociology or education. This gives them a solid foundation to apply their knowledge and skills specifically to counseling when they go on to earn a master's. The Master of Arts (MA) and Master of Science (MS) degrees in counseling are considered the gold standard for practicing in the field. A master's degree is required for licensure in most states and for most employment opportunities. Individuals with a master's may go on to earn one of three terminal degrees in the discipline: a doctorate (PhD), a doctor of psychology (PsyD), or a doctor of education (EdD).

Bachelor's Degree

Designated undergraduate degrees or majors in counseling are uncommon, but they do exist. The overall aim of such programs is to prepare students to pursue a master's degree in counseling by introducing the core behavioral science components underpinning the practice. These include normal and abnormal psychology, developmental psychology, and social science research methods. Coursework also covers social and educational policy, and trauma and crisis intervention techniques. Students planning to pursue a master's degree in counseling often integrate these classes into a bachelor's degree program in a related field such as psychology, sociology or education.

Below is a breakdown of some typical undergraduate classes offered in counseling, along with the topics and skills that are covered in each:

Research Methods in the Social Sciences

Explores how research is designed, conducted and analyzed, for use in creating counseling programs

Skills and Knowledge Acquired

  • Research design
  • Statistical analysis
  • Data collection methods, including observation, interviewing and using questionnaires

Lifespan Psychology

Offers an overview of the various factors and forces that form the basis of individual personality at different developmental stages.

Skills and Knowledge Acquired

  • Cognitive development
  • Emotional development
  • Social development
  • Moral development

Social Policy

Looks at the history of various programs designed to address social issues, and their ultimate effectiveness.

Skills and Knowledge Acquired

  • Poverty programs
  • Healthcare reform
  • Educational initiatives
  • Criminal justice policy

Case Management in Social Work and Counseling

Surveys proper in-the-field practices for individual cases in social work and counseling.

Skills and Knowledge Acquired

  • Client assessment techniques
  • Problem solving
  • Ethics of counseling

Master's Degree in Counseling

A master's degree is the primary means to becoming a licensed, practicing counselor. All states have licensing requirements for counselors, and in most states, holding a master's degree is one of them. A two-year master's degree program in counseling prepares students to handle a range of psychological, social and behavioral issues; assess a variety of situations; provide emotional support and offer practical guidance; and work with individual clients, families and groups.

Both Master of Arts (MA) and Master of Science (MS) degrees are available in counseling. MS degrees typically focus more on clinical experience working as a counselor, while MA degrees are geared more toward research. In addition, there are master's of education degrees in counseling available to those who want to work in school or youth counseling. In any case, the focus of a good master's degree program in counseling should be on putting the psychological, behavioral and social theories that are taught in the classroom to practical use in counseling situations. Here are some courses students generally take in a master's degree program:

Counseling Theory and Practice

Provides an overview of the various concepts and techniques used in counseling.

Skills and Knowledge Acquired

  • Cognitive therapy
  • Behavioral therapy
  • Feminist and multicultural perspectives on therapy

Ethical and Legal Issues in Counseling

Examines the laws and ethical codes pertaining to the practice.

Skills and Knowledge Acquired

  • Historical perspectives of mental health counseling
  • Philosophical concerns in counseling
  • Confidentiality, confidentiality and consent

Appraisal and Testing for Counselors

Focuses on how to design and utilize various assessment techniques.

Skills and Knowledge Acquired

  • Standardized testing and evaluation
  • Interpreting behavioral, psychological and educational testing results
  • Test construction

Addiction and Substance Abuse Counseling

Explores the theories and assessments of various addiction models, the pharmacological basis of addiction, and various treatment methods, from the perspective of individual, family and group counseling.

Skills and Knowledge Acquired

  • Biology of addiction
  • Pharmacological aspects of alcohol and drugs
  • 12-step programs and other treatment models
  • Relapse prevention and intervention techniques

Doctoral Degrees

A master's degree is almost always a requirement to enter the field on a professional level, but a doctorate is only necessary for a very specific group of jobs and careers. For example, a doctor of education (EdD) degree in counseling is helpful for counselors who want to pursue an administrative position in educational counseling. There are also PhD and PsyD — Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor of Psychology, respectively — degrees available in counseling. Both are useful to those who aspire to teach or conduct in-depth research at the college or university level.

EdD in Counseling Psychology

Objective

Explores research and theory in psychology and counseling to prepare students for work in educational settings and in the field of child/adolescent mental health.

Example courses

  • Advanced research methods and proposal writing
  • Principles of human neuropsychology
  • Culture, ethnicity and race factors in counseling
  • Theories and models of consultation and supervision
  • Intercultural education, special education and classroom behavior management

Years to complete

3-4 years

Final Project

Dissertation

Internship requirement

600 hours

PsyD in Counseling Psychology

Objective

Prepares students for clinical counseling using the medical school practitioner-scholar model, emphasizing the direct application of theory in supervised clinical settings.

Example courses

  • Health psychology
  • Pharmacological medications
  • Neuropsychological assessment
  • Cognitive and affective bases of behavior
  • Historic foundations of scientific psychology

Years to complete

4-5 years

Final Project

Dissertation

Internship requirement

2000 hours

PhD in Counseling Psychology

Objective

Designed for students whose practice of counseling involves research, teaching, and/or psychological counseling, with a goal of exposing those students to the best practices and foundational knowledge in the field.

Example courses

  • Career development and counseling
  • Psychology of social identities
  • Research methods in counseling
  • Prevention, advocacy, and outreach in communities

Years to complete

4-5 years

Final Project

Dissertation

Internship requirement

2000 hours

Doctoral degrees in counseling are all highly specialized, and designed to conform to a particular student's focus in the field. As such, the kind of coursework associated with each can vary greatly. Following is a look at the general aims and requirements of each degree:

Getting a Counseling Degree Online

There are an increasingly large number of options for earning master's, and even doctoral, degrees in counseling through online colleges and universities. Such a choice makes sense for many, given that it's not uncommon for people to enroll in counseling degree programs after they've entered the workforce. For example, a teacher who is already licensed and working full- or part-time may decide to make a mid-career change by pursing a master's in counseling. The inherent flexibility of online programs can be a bonus in such situations.

That said, it's important to look closely at any online degree program in counseling to make sure that it meets your needs and standards. When searching online degrees, consider the following:

Step 1

Make sure the program is approved by the National Accreditation Agency, as well as by any other relevant state authorities.

Step 2

Ensure that the program provides adequate preparation for licensure requirements in the state or states in which you'll likely be working. Most reputable online programs will supply a list of faculty credentials, which can be a decisive factor.

Step 3

Make sure the program includes the types of courses that will suit your area of interest in counseling. An excellent resource for gaining insight into online degree programs in school counseling are professional association websites linked to the American School Counselor Association, the Society of Counseling Psychology, the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapists, and the American Counseling Association.

Components of a Successful Counseling Career

Counselor Skills

A good counselor must first be a good listener, someone who can actively engage, empathize and pick up on pertinent social cues. Persuasion, negotiation and creative problem-solving are particularly relevant for school counselors, who assist students when they are under stress from academic and/or social pressures, or when they are struggling with emotional issues, family problems, learning deficits or other personal difficulties. School counselors in particular must develop critical-thinking skills to help students plan academic and career goals. It's crucial to be able to balance a student's test results against psychological factors. School counselors may employ testing and social science assessment methods, but they also have to develop an intuitive sense of what works on a case-by-case basis.

Counselor Certifications

Each state has its own requirements for certification, which can be found at the relevant state agency or by consulting the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). Requirements often include completing certain coursework, passing a written exam, and obtaining work experience. The National Board for Certified Counselors and Affiliates offers the National Certified Counselor (NCC) and National Certified School Counselor (NCSC) credentials, while the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards also offers a certification in school counseling.

Tools and Technology for Counseling

The everyday tools used by counselors are common to many workplaces, including basic office equipment such as computers and tablets; digital audio and video recording and playback equipment; and word processing, spreadsheet and database software. School counselors should also be comfortable working with computerized testing, diagnostic and statistical programs, learning how to interpret and sort data to best understand results. While many of these will likely introduced in a good master's degree program in counseling, some are learned on-the-job or during internships, and others may be the focus of continuing education programs.

Counselor Job Growth and Prospects

K-12 education has been a major concern on the national agenda in recent years, but there is far from universal agreement on how to improve schools. In many states, budget constraints and tax reductions have made it problematic to increase spending on education. Nevertheless, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a fairly strong job growth of 12% up through 2022 for school and career counselors, with rising enrollment in elementary, middle and high schools being one of the main factors accounting for this trend.

Ten States Experiencing the Most Job Growth in Counseling

Related Careers: What You Need to Know

As the number of schoolchildren increases, so will the need for counselors and others working in fields related to education and child development. Individuals interested in pursuing a career in education or counseling may want to explore the details of similar fields. Following is information on the 2014 median salaries, projected growth through 2022, and required education and training for several related occupations:

Kindergarten Teacher

12%

Salary

$50,600

Education and Training:

Bachelor's degree and state issued license.

Elementary School Teacher

12%

Salary

$54,120

Education and Training:

Bachelor's degree and state issued license.

High School Teacher

6%

Salary

$56,310

Education and Training:

Bachelor's degree and state issued license.

Teacher Assistant

9%

Salary

$24,430

Education and Training:

Some college, degree not always required

Special Education Teacher

6%

Salary

$57,810

Education and Training:

Bachelor's degree and state issued license.

Librarian

7%

Salary

$56,170

Education and Training:

Master's degree in library science.

School Psychologist

12%

Salary

$68,900

Education and Training:

Education specialist or doctoral degree and state license.

Mental Health Counselor

29%

Salary

$40.850

Education and Training:

Master's degree

Childcare Worker

14%

Salary

$19,730

Education and Training:

High school diploma or equivalent.

Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselor

31%

Salary

$39,270

Education and Training:

From high school diploma to master's degree

Education Administrator

15%

Salary

$89,540

Education and Training:

Master's degree and state license.

What Do Related Careers Make?

In addition to counseling, there are other occupations that draw more heavily on one skill or another, and some individuals may choose a related career that focuses more on teaching, or perhaps emphasizes psychology. The following table shows how the salary of a school counselor compares to that of similar occupations:

Counselor and Related Job Salaries

Find a School

Use the search tool below to sift through the numerous counseling degrees currently offered by colleges and universities across the nation.

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Become Team
Contributing Writer

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