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Career and Employment Counselors


Overview

Career and Employment Counselors

Introduction

Career and employment counselors, who are also known as vocational counselors, provide advice to individuals or groups about occupations, careers, career decision making, career planning, and other career development–related questions or conflicts. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, as of May 2019, there were approximately 333,500 school and career counselors employed in the United States.

Quick Facts


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Median Salary

$57,040

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Employment Prospects

Good

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Minimum Education Level

Master's Degree


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Experience

Postgraduate supervised school counseling


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Skills

Interpersonal
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Personality Traits

Helpful
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Earnings

Salaries vary greatly within the career and vocational counseling field. In November 2020, PayScale.com reported the average salary for college career counselors was $48,027. Salaries ranged from $35,000 or less to $72,000 or more. The U.S. Department of Labor places reported that school and career counselors earned a median annual wage of $57,040 in May 2019. The lowest paid 10 percent of thes...

Work Environment

Employment counselors usually work about 40 hours a week, but some agencies are more flexible. Counseling is done in offices designed to be free from noise and distractions, to allow confidential discussions with clients.

College career planning and placement counselors also normally work a 40-hour week, although irregular hours and overtime are frequently required during the peak recrui...

Outlook

Employment of school and career counselors is expected to grow by 8 percent, much faster than the average for all careers, through 2029, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The coronavirus pandemic has altered how counselors work, with many counseling people remotely through video conferencing. Employment growth in the field may slow down slightly into 2021, but is projected to pic...