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I started working as an assistant counselor, when I finished my graduation degree in psychology and social studies. After working for a year as an assistant career counselor, to increase my prospects of salary, I joined a public school and also upgraded my educational qualifications. With more experience and skills, now, after 5 years, I'm in a very stable position in my career, commanding decent salary. My future plans are to further enhance my skills by expanding my area of work and include schools, colleges, and universities as my work domain." ― James, Manhattan
In the recent years, there has been an increase in demand for counselors in a variety of fields. The prospect of career advancement primarily depends on the field of counseling chosen and the educational qualification. According to Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the highest-paid professionals in the field of counseling are the career counselors. They are the professionals who evaluate a candidate's aptitude and skills, and correspondingly guide them to choose the most suitable career path. Career counseling has become significant in giving a proper career path to the student so that he can easily know what is best career choice for him. In the recent years, career opportunities in this field have increased by leaps and bounds, and this has triggered the growth in terms of the salary. Career counselors interview the candidates and discuss the possibilities of better career changes or career options. There are various factors on which the salary depends and chief among them are:
- Work Experience
- Type of Employer
- Job Location
- Industries
The tables mentioned below will give you an idea about various salaries of career counselors.
| Salaries of Various Counseling Professions |
| Counseling Specialties |
Salary (In USD) approx. |
| Elementary School Counselors |
55,000 - 85,000 |
| College/Universities |
53,000 - 68,000 |
| Junior Colleges |
55,000 - 70,000 |
| Rehabilitation Center Services |
40,000 - 60,000 |
| Management/Consulting Services |
60,000 - 80,000 |
| Based on Industries |
| Employers |
Salary (In USD) approx. |
| Education for K - Schools |
35,000 - 55,000 |
| Education |
40,000 - 55,000 |
| School District |
40,000 - 50,000 |
| Education in College |
40,000 - 58,000 |
| Based on Job Location |
| City |
Salary (in USD approx.) |
| Houston |
40,000 - 60,000 |
| Atlanta |
35,000 - 50,000 |
| Chicago |
45,000 - 60,000 |
| New York |
45,000 - 55,000 |
| Philadelphia |
35,000 - 55,000 |
| Based on Work Experience |
| Work Experience |
Salary (in USD approx.) |
| Less than 1 year |
30,000 - 50,000 |
| 1 - 4 years |
35,000 - 45,000 |
| 5 - 9 years |
40,000 - 55,000 |
| 10 - 19 years |
45,000 - 65,000 |
| 20 plus years |
55,000 - 75,000 |
As we observe in the various tables mentioned above, we can notice that generally, the salary is between USD 30,000 to USD 85,000 with an average salary of USD 40,000. Like various salary ranges for jobs, this profession also increased its earning prospects with increase in the work experience. The career development path for career counselors is bright and with further education, one can increase the chances for better salaries. Students who are interested in making a career as a career counselor must understand that it takes lot of study and awareness about different careers to help aspirants choose a specific career and guide them in their career planning.
Aspirants of career counselors must work hard on getting knowledge about changing trends of professions and requirements for various jobs so that one can guide the client in an excellent way. Getting the right training and certificates also helps in increasing the employment opportunities. One must mobilize efforts to gain corresponding degrees related to career counseling subjects so that one can succeed in achieving their objective.
