Overview
SourcedAdvise and assist students and provide educational and vocational guidance services.
O*NET definition of Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors (SOC 21-1012) · Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed.
Titles employers use
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership; U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), O*NET 31.0 Database; GovJobsWiki job taxonomy v1 (research round R240) (editorial). Data captured September 30, 2026.
Requirements
Sourced- Education needed to enter
- Master's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
Education workers say the job requires
Share of surveyed workers in Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors (SOC 21-1012) naming each level as required to be hired, 22 respondents, O*NET survey August 2024. Each employer sets its own minimum.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 — education and training assignments by detailed occupation (Tables 5.3, 5.4); U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), O*NET 31.0 Database. Data captured September 30, 2026.
How to get hired
SourcedMost school counselors need a master's degree in school counseling or a related field and have a state-issued credential. Some states require licensure for career counselors and advisors.
From the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile “School and Career Counselors and Advisors”, published August 27, 2026 · Read the full profile. National guidance; each employer runs its own hiring process.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–35 edition (XML compilation). Data captured September 30, 2026.
Academy and training
Sourced- SOC 21-1012
- None
- Job zone
- Extensive Preparation Needed
Academy length, curriculum and paid-training policies are set by each employer and state; they are part of the employer collection stage.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35 — education and training assignments by detailed occupation (Tables 5.3, 5.4). Data captured September 30, 2026.
Promotion ladder
EditorialSteps and lanes: certificated salary schedule: years (steps) × education (lanes). Typical structure for a public school certificated staff; titles, steps and timing differ by employer.
- Teacher, Step 1 (by lane: BA / BA+15 / MA / MA+30 / PhD)
- Teacher, Steps 2…N (annual)
- Longevity steps
- Mentor / Lead Teacher / Department Chair (stipend)
- Instructional Coach
- Assistant Principal
- Principal
- Central-office Director
- Superintendent
Source: GovJobsWiki job taxonomy v1 (research round R240) (editorial).
Pay
SourcedMedian annual wage by employer type, national, May 2025. Federal includes the U.S. Postal Service; state and local include public schools and hospitals.
| Employer type | Workers | 10th pct. | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal | 760 | $65,940 | $74,540 | $85,040 | $98,720 | $115,030 |
| State | 66,170 | $43,400 | $48,010 | $57,670 | $72,920 | $92,240 |
| Local | 177,550 | $49,690 | $61,010 | $77,020 | $97,900 | $120,340 |
| All government | 244,480 | $47,270 | $57,110 | $72,230 | $92,350 | $111,520 |
| Private sector | 108,830 | $39,310 | $46,920 | $57,930 | $71,370 | $84,840 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national estimates by ownership. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Schedule
SourcedShare of surveyed workers in the occupation (O*NET work context, August 2024). Shift patterns and differentials depend on the employer.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), O*NET 31.0 Database. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Day-to-day work
Sourced- Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.4.6
- Counsel students regarding educational issues, such as course and program selection, class scheduling and registration, school adjustment, truancy, study habits, and career planning.4.5
- Provide crisis intervention to students when difficult situations occur at schools.4.4
- Counsel individuals or groups to help them understand and overcome personal, social, or behavioral problems affecting their educational or vocational situations.4.4
- Review transcripts to ensure that students meet graduation or college entrance requirements, and write letters of recommendation.4.4
- Prepare students for later educational experiences by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.4.3
- Refer students to outside counseling services.4.3
- Refer students to degree programs based on interests, aptitudes, or educational assessments.4.2
- Evaluate students' or individuals' abilities, interests, and personality characteristics, using tests, records, interviews, or professional sources.4.2
- Provide students with information on topics such as college degree programs and admission requirements, financial aid opportunities, trade and technical schools, and apprenticeship programs.4.0
The 10 most important of 22 core tasks for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors, ranked by importance (1–5) in the O*NET survey of August 2024.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), O*NET 31.0 Database. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Related jobs
DerivedExams by name
Sourced| Exam | Administered by | Used in | Type | Official page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Praxis School Counselor (5422) 120 minutes; 120 selected-response questions (select one or more answers); computer delivered; aligned to ASCA School Counselor Professional Standards & Competencies. | ETS | US | licensing | Official page |
Each exam is checked against its administrator's official page. Employers choose which exam they use; confirm with the hiring agency.
Source: Exam administrators and hiring authorities (per record), Official exam administrator pages. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Employer directory
Sourced13,321 school districts in the registry. Regular public school districts in the NCES Common Core of Data (charter-only districts are not included). The 10 largest by teachers (fte):
| Employer | Location | Teachers (FTE) | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Public Schools Dist 299 | Chicago, IL | 23,532 | Official site |
| Los Angeles Unified | Los Angeles, CA | 21,246 | Official site |
| MIAMI-DADE | Miami, FL | 17,139 | Official site |
| Clark County | Las Vegas, NV | 16,446 | Official site |
| Fairfax County Public Schools | Falls Church, VA | 13,501 | Official site |
| Gwinnett County | Lawrenceville, GA | 12,796 | — |
| Hawaii Department of Education | Honolulu, HI | 12,215 | Official site |
| Montgomery County Public Schools | Rockville, MD | 11,574 | Official site |
| PALM BEACH | West Palm Beach, FL | 11,548 | Official site |
| ORANGE | Orlando, FL | 11,416 | Official site |
Full lists by state:
As reported by each employer to its federal registry.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data, 2024–25 local education agency universe (directory and staff). Data captured September 30, 2026.
By state
SourcedMedian annual wage for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors (SOC 21-1012) in each state, all employers (BLS state estimates do not separate government from private). Highest first.
| State | Workers | 10th pct. | Median | 90th pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 45,140 | $51,890 | $86,500 | $136,660 |
| Alaska | 540 | $50,870 | $82,900 | $103,420 |
| Washington | 6,610 | $57,980 | $82,670 | $125,950 |
| District of Columbia | 1,690 | $50,900 | $80,470 | $113,620 |
| Massachusetts | 11,460 | $59,460 | $79,930 | $117,630 |
| New Jersey | 8,190 | $57,850 | $77,910 | $108,500 |
| New Mexico | 1,780 | $46,660 | $77,880 | $103,110 |
| Maryland | 6,600 | $48,460 | $75,820 | $116,650 |
| Rhode Island | 1,340 | $49,100 | $75,000 | $102,340 |
| Delaware | 1,700 | $47,750 | $74,070 | $96,140 |
| Connecticut | 3,370 | $46,510 | $73,910 | $108,540 |
| New York | 23,380 | $46,100 | $71,610 | $123,850 |
| New Hampshire | 1,650 | $47,990 | $71,080 | $96,630 |
| Texas | 31,730 | $42,380 | $67,900 | $101,830 |
| Virginia | 9,450 | $45,700 | $67,660 | $103,380 |
| Nevada | 2,250 | $46,570 | $66,710 | $94,530 |
| Oregon | 3,990 | $50,190 | $66,690 | $119,780 |
| Colorado | 6,530 | $48,690 | $64,780 | $97,960 |
| Minnesota | 4,200 | $47,870 | $64,600 | $94,100 |
| Vermont | 1,120 | $50,810 | $64,570 | $94,010 |
| Kentucky | 5,030 | $40,840 | $64,350 | $99,390 |
| Georgia | 11,460 | $42,040 | $63,720 | $101,880 |
| Wyoming | 770 | $49,440 | $63,430 | $91,330 |
| Wisconsin | 5,330 | $47,470 | $62,690 | $86,510 |
| Nebraska | 2,190 | $45,050 | $62,500 | $100,160 |
| Illinois | 13,580 | $44,890 | $62,420 | $110,580 |
| Louisiana | 4,820 | $45,340 | $61,870 | $87,940 |
| Ohio | 13,250 | $43,010 | $61,760 | $99,810 |
| Hawaii | 1,620 | $49,350 | $61,730 | $93,720 |
| Utah | 4,070 | $37,260 | $61,320 | $101,780 |
| Pennsylvania | 13,570 | $46,200 | $60,880 | $97,810 |
| South Carolina | 6,460 | $39,800 | $60,340 | $86,250 |
| Idaho | 1,990 | $46,710 | $60,320 | $79,620 |
| Tennessee | 6,470 | $42,410 | $59,960 | $84,550 |
| Arkansas | 2,310 | $38,520 | $59,770 | $78,070 |
| Alabama | 4,410 | $37,670 | $59,570 | $78,570 |
| Michigan | 9,170 | $42,380 | $59,440 | $89,280 |
| Indiana | 5,610 | $41,180 | $59,260 | $82,690 |
| North Dakota | 840 | $46,860 | $58,960 | $79,500 |
| Mississippi | 2,620 | $38,580 | $58,710 | $76,610 |
| Maine | 1,780 | $45,300 | $58,630 | $82,460 |
| Arizona | 7,330 | $46,400 | $58,250 | $82,240 |
| Missouri | 8,890 | $41,890 | $58,040 | $78,740 |
| Montana | 890 | $39,180 | $57,900 | $87,610 |
| North Carolina | 9,430 | $40,400 | $57,630 | $74,070 |
| Kansas | 3,100 | $42,020 | $56,590 | $77,920 |
| Iowa | 3,690 | $43,470 | $56,540 | $77,110 |
| West Virginia | 1,260 | $37,940 | $55,520 | $73,090 |
| Florida | 22,800 | $38,290 | $53,140 | $82,780 |
| Oklahoma | 4,830 | $38,100 | $52,040 | $81,630 |
| South Dakota | 1,000 | $41,560 | $51,830 | $65,990 |
51 states with published estimates.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — state estimates. Data captured September 30, 2026.
Not yet collected
These dimensions are part of every job page. We publish them only once they are sourced from official documents such as job postings, pay plans, union contracts and state standards.
- 05 ProbationNot yet collectedProbation length and what ends it
- 09 Benefits and pensionNot yet collectedPension plan/tier and formula, retirement age/years, DROP, retiree health, Social Security coverage, 457(b), PSLF eligibility
- 10 Union contractsNot yet collectedBargaining unit, union, current CBA (source link, effective dates)
- 11 Transfers and lateral entryNot yet collectedLateral policy, certification reciprocity, lateral bonus, inter-agency moves