by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying College Student Counseling & Personnel Services involves the study of College Student Counseling And Personnel Services. A Program That Focuses On The Organization And Provision Of Counseling, Referral, Assistance And Administrative Services To Students In Postsecondary Educational Institutions And Adult Education Facilities, And That May Prepare Individuals To Function As Professional Counselors In Such Settings. Includes Instruction In Applicable Laws And Policies, Residential Counseling And Services, Vocational Counseling And Placement Services, Remedial Skills Counseling, And Therapeutic Counselor Intervention. Continue reading for the essential details every college student counseling & personnel services major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering college student counseling & personnel services programs.
Nationwide, college student counseling & personnel services is a widely-pursued major, with 952 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best College Student Counseling & Personnel Services Schools ranking analyzes these 65 schools to determine the best overall colleges for college student counseling & personnel services students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of college student counseling & personnel services programs later in this article.
Programs in College Student Counseling & Personnel Services develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations college student counseling & personnel services graduates commonly enter.
The skill set emphasized by a college student counseling & personnel services program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a college student counseling & personnel services major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several college student counseling & personnel services 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 | 2 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 12 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 903 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 35 |
People currently working in careers related to college student counseling & personnel services tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 38.7% |
| Some college courses | 35.4% |
| Master’s degree | 14.4% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 5.2% |
| Doctoral degree | 4.5% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 1.0% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 0.7% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.1% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in college student counseling & personnel services careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in college student counseling & personnel services opens doors to numerous career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to college student counseling & personnel services.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to college student counseling & personnel services.
| 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 college student counseling & personnel services graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise 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 college student counseling & personnel services graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers college student counseling & personnel services grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors | $87,699 |
| Residential Advisors | $46,273 |
With 65 different college student counseling & personnel services programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased college student counseling & personnel services school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in college student counseling & personnel services, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services | 12,270 |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services, Other | 492 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
