by our College Data Analytics TeamSchool Counselors get to help support students in personal, social, educational, and vocational developments. As the person with the connections and answers, students will look to you for help. It will be your job to encourage and guide students in a direction that will prepare them for their future. The opportunity to help aid students can be in any grade level within elementary, middle, and high school.
In this field you will be required to take classes in ethics, psychology, sociology, counseling services, student development, vocational counseling, and some law courses. The concentrations in this major include elementary, middle, and high school counseling and college and career counseling.
A major in Student Counseling involves the study of Student Counseling And Personnel Services. Read on to learn the important information every student counseling major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering student counseling programs.
Across the country, student counseling is a popular field of study, with 13,714 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Student Counseling Schools ranking analyzes these 440 schools to determine the best overall colleges for student counseling students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of student counseling programs later in this article.
Programs in Student Counseling build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations student counseling graduates commonly enter.
School counselors have an ability to help students through difficult periods in their life. However, you will be required to work through difficult problems with students who may have attitude or behavior issues. You will need to look past the image of your students and find out what actually motivates them in order to make them successful. Interpersonal skills are necessary as you will be working with many people including students, parents, and teachers. Communication skills are important as you will spend a large chunk of your day talking to people. It is also important to stay organized as you administer and evaluate tests. However, the most important trait to have is to emotionally commit to your students and to show them that you care about them.
Previous work experience with children is a plus. Babysitting, working as a camp counselor or volunteering with a kids program should give you enough exposure to know if working with kids is for you.
The skill set built by a student counseling program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a student counseling major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several student counseling degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 14 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 4 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 14 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 13,234 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 448 |
People currently working in careers related to student counseling tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 41.0% |
| Some college courses | 30.8% |
| Master’s degree | 17.8% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 4.5% |
| Doctoral degree | 3.9% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 1.0% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 0.9% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.2% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in student counseling careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
This major allows you to become a school guidance counselor or a career and college counselor. You get to work in the school and work with students one-on-one. You will not only teach students, but be a role-model and mentor. Most employers prefer for you to have a master's degree in counseling. This field is expected to grow because of the increase of enrollment in school. However, jobs may be more available in certain parts of the country.
A degree in student counseling opens doors to numerous career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to student counseling.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to student counseling.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Residential Advisors | 486,886 | 5.5% |
| Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors | 204,799 | 5.9% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of student counseling graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $52,264 |
| 4 years | $54,366 |
| 5 years | $60,575 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for student counseling graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers student counseling grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors | $87,699 |
| Residential Advisors | $46,273 |
With 440 different student counseling programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased student counseling school rankings to help you.
Those considering student counseling, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services | 12,270 |
| College Student Counseling and Personnel Services | 952 |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services, Other | 492 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 108,054 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 42,255 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 39,881 |
| Special Education and Teaching | 33,988 |
| Education, General | 27,481 |
| Curriculum and Instruction | 21,331 |
| Educational/Instructional Media Design | 8,879 |
| Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | 5,695 |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | 5,092 |
| Education, Other | 4,326 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
