Genetic Counselors
Overview
Introduction
Genetic counselors are health care professionals who work with individuals who may be at risk for a variety of inherited conditions or who have family members with birth defects or genetic disorders. Many view a career in genetic counseling as a great way to combine a love of science with a desire to help people.
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
Genetic counselors earned median annual salaries of $80,370 in May 2018, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Salaries ranged from less than $52,750 to $107,450 or more. Those who were employed by general and medical surgical hospitals had mean annual salaries of $83,430, while those who worked in medical and diagnostic laboratories earned $90,760.
In 2019, the average salary for a...
Work Environment
Genetic counselors often have to deal with stressful, emotional situations. Counselors must be able to discuss tough subjects with their clients, such as parents who learn that their unborn or newborn child is either at risk for or has a genetic disorder. Counselors must be clear in their communication, but they also need to be compassionate and sympathetic to clients' emotional needs.
B...
Outlook
This field of genetic counseling is expected to grow much faster than the average for all careers through 2028, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Scientific developments in understanding adult genetic disorders and in reproductive technologies, as well as advances in cancer genomics research, have created new opportunities for treatment and testing. The data produced by the Human Genom...