by our College Data Analytics Team
[Student Counseling](/majors/education/student-counseling/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. The highest-paying schools turn a student counseling degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 5 schools on the early-career earnings of their student counseling graduates.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send student counseling graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
South Carolina State University earned the #1 spot for highest-paid student counseling graduates in South Carolina. South Carolina State University is a public school located in the town of Orangeburg. Students who complete the student counseling program here go on to a median salary of roughly $56,801.
Clemson University produces some of the highest-paid graduates in student counseling, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Clemson, Clemson University is a public institution. Early-career student counseling graduates from Clemson University make a median of around $53,424 per year.
Strong graduate earnings at Winthrop University earned it the #3 place for student counseling. Winthrop University is a public school located in the city of Rock Hill. Students who complete the student counseling program here go on to a median salary of roughly $51,115.
University Of South Carolina Columbia produces some of the highest-paid graduates in student counseling, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Columbia, University Of South Carolina Columbia is a public institution. Early-career student counseling graduates from University Of South Carolina Columbia make a median of around $54,021 per year.
Strong graduate earnings at Citadel Military College Of South Carolina earned it the #5 place for student counseling. Set in the city of Charleston, Citadel Military College Of South Carolina is a public institution. Student Counseling graduates of Citadel Military College Of South Carolina earn a median of about $46,661 a year early in their careers.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their student counseling graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 5 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.