by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 451 U.S. colleges awarded 14,088 degrees and certificates in Student Counseling. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 97% of graduates. College Factual ranks 306 schools in its 2027 Best Student Counseling Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $52,212 one year after completing, rising to $62,290 after four years.
School 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.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, student counseling is a popular field of study, with 14,088 degrees awarded annually. 451 colleges award student counseling degrees, an average of 31 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 356.
By level, the 14,088 awards include 19 certificates, 1 associate degrees, 24 bachelor’s degrees, 13,617 master’s degrees and 427 doctorates.
Women earned 84% of student counseling degrees and certificates in the latest year (11,776 of 14,088). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (7,681) and Hispanic or Latino (2,775), and international students earned 323.
College Factual ranks 306 schools in its 2027 Best Student Counseling Schools ranking, including 297 for master’s degrees and 9 for doctorates. It also ranks student counseling schools within 46 states. In all, 451 colleges offer student counseling programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Student Counseling Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common student counseling credential is the master’s degree: 13,617 of the 14,088 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to student counseling call most for Active Listening, Social Perceptiveness and Speaking, and for knowledge of Customer and Personal Service, English Language and Education and Training, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Comprehension, Oral Expression and Problem Sensitivity.
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.
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How long a student counseling degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 19 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 1 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 24 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 13,617 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 427 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to student counseling, at 41.0%.
| 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% |
Source: O*NET Online.
2 occupations are related to Student Counseling, with an average median salary of $66,986; the strongest outlook belongs to Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors, at 5.9% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Residential Specialist, Residential Support Specialist, Residential Counselor and Housing Assistant.
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.
The occupation related to student counseling with the most projected jobs is Residential Advisors, at 486,886.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Residential Advisors | 486,886 | 5.5% |
| Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors | 204,799 | 5.9% |
Student Counseling graduates earn a median $52,212 one year after completing their program, $62,290 after four years and $60,416 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $52,212 |
| 4 years | $62,290 |
| 5 years | $60,416 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to student counseling, with a median salary of $87,699.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors | $87,699 |
| Residential Advisors | $46,273 |
Student Counseling includes 3 concentrations that together award 14,088 degrees a year; by graduates, the largest are Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services (12,733), College Student Counseling and Personnel Services (948) and Student Counseling and Personnel Services, Other (407). It has 14 similar majors in the Education field, which together award 311,746 degrees a year; the largest are Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (108,824), Educational Administration and Supervision (44,746) and Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (40,395). Browse all Education majors or the full list of college majors.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services | 12,733 |
| College Student Counseling and Personnel Services | 948 |
| Student Counseling and Personnel Services, Other | 407 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 108,824 |
| Educational Administration and Supervision | 44,746 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 40,395 |
| Special Education and Teaching | 35,428 |
| Education, General | 26,982 |
| Curriculum and Instruction | 23,141 |
| Educational/Instructional Media Design | 9,479 |
| Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research | 5,808 |
| Teaching English or French as a Second or Foreign Language | 5,483 |
| Education, Other | 4,291 |
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