Occupation · SOC 21-1012
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors
Advise and assist students and provide educational and vocational guidance services.
Median wage
$65,140
$43,580–$105,870
Projected growth
+3.5%
Average growth
Annual openings
1,330
per year
Employed (US)
342,350
Job Zone 5
Typical preparation
Extensive preparation
Stackable credential programs
447 mapped
Core skills
Active ListeningSpeakingSocial PerceptivenessService OrientationWritingReading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingMonitoringLearning StrategiesComplex Problem SolvingActive LearningPersuasionJudgment and Decision MakingInstructingCoordinationNegotiationTime ManagementSystems EvaluationSystems AnalysisManagement of Personnel ResourcesMathematicsScienceQuality Control AnalysisProgrammingOperations MonitoringManagement of Material ResourcesManagement of Financial ResourcesTechnology DesignOperations AnalysisTroubleshootingRepairingOperation and ControlInstallationEquipment SelectionEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
Customer and Personal ServiceEnglish LanguageTherapy and CounselingEducation and TrainingPsychologyAdministrativeAdministration and ManagementSociology and AnthropologyComputers and ElectronicsPublic Safety and SecurityLaw and GovernmentCommunications and MediaPhilosophy and TheologyPersonnel and Human ResourcesMathematicsSales and MarketingForeign LanguageTransportationHistory and ArcheologyTelecommunicationsEngineering and TechnologyBiologyProduction and ProcessingMechanicalGeographyDesignMedicine and DentistryEconomics and AccountingFine ArtsPhysicsBuilding and ConstructionChemistryFood Production
Technology & tools
ACT DiscoverACT WorkKeysAdobe ActionScriptAdobe PhotoshopAthena Software Penelope Case ManagementBlackbaud The Raiser's EdgeBlackboard WimbaBlackboard softwareBloomzCareer CruisingCareer Dimensions Focus 2Career ZoneCareer decision-making programsCareer management systems CMSCenters for Disease Control and Prevention CDC WONDERCenters for Disease Control and Prevention Epi InfoChat softwareCoin Educational Products Climb K-5 OnlineCoin Educational Products Coin Jr.College Central Network Career Services CentralCommon CurriculumComputer-assisted career guidance softwareComputer-assisted live supervisionComputerized diagnostic programsComputerized statistical packagesComputerized testing programsCounseling softwareDatabase application softwareDatabase softwareEZAnalyzeEmail softwareExt JSFacebookFileMaker ProGoogle ClassroomGoogle DocsGoogle DriveGoogle MeetGroupMeHealthcare common procedure coding system HCPCS
Representative tasks
Getting InformationCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsWorking with ComputersUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersProcessing InformationOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkDocumenting/Recording InformationEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicAnalyzing Data or InformationInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersAssisting and Caring for OthersThinking CreativelyDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsCoaching and Developing OthersScheduling Work and ActivitiesPerforming Administrative ActivitiesTraining and Teaching OthersDeveloping and Building TeamsJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationSelling or Influencing OthersInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesStaffing Organizational UnitsPerforming General Physical ActivitiesHandling and Moving ObjectsControlling Machines and ProcessesOperating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or EquipmentDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and EquipmentRepairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Student records and documentation — maintain accurately under supervisor review, applying district policies and applicable legal requirements in a school or academic setting.Course selection and scheduling inquiries — respond to with structured guidance using established protocols under direct supervision in a secondary or post-secondary counseling office.Crisis intervention procedures — recognize warning signs and follow established response protocols under the direction of a licensed senior counselor in a school environment.Personal and social problem-solving conversations — conduct initial intake sessions with students under close mentorship, applying foundational counseling techniques learned in graduate training.Transcript review checklists — apply consistently to verify graduation and college entrance requirements for assigned student caseloads with supervisor oversight.Referral pathways to outside counseling services — identify and initiate with guidance from a supervising counselor when student needs exceed in-house scope.Career interest inventories and educational assessments — administer and score accurately using approved analytical software tools under structured supervision.Degree program information — compile and present to students based on assessed interests and aptitudes using prepared resources in a counseling appointment setting.Active listening and empathic communication — demonstrate in individual student sessions to build rapport while following structured intake frameworks provided by the department.Counseling case notes and session records — draft in compliance with administrative regulations using department-approved database software under quality-review by a supervising counselor.
developing
Student records and compliance documentation — manage independently across a full assigned caseload, ensuring accuracy and adherence to FERPA and district policy in a K–12 or college advising environment.Educational counseling sessions — conduct routinely for course selection, class registration, and study habit development with reduced oversight, adapting approaches for diverse student populations.Crisis intervention responses — execute with confidence in acute school situations, applying evidence-based de-escalation techniques and coordinating with school psychologists and administrators.Group counseling sessions — facilitate for students addressing personal, social, or behavioral challenges that affect academic or vocational progress in a school or community college setting.Graduation and college entrance audits — complete independently, identifying deficiencies and drafting personalized letters of recommendation that reflect each student's academic narrative.Referral coordination — manage effectively by matching student needs to appropriate external mental health and social service providers and tracking follow-through via CRM software.Career planning conversations — lead using structured frameworks and labor market data to help students explore viable educational pathways aligned with their assessed aptitudes.Learning opportunity presentations — develop and deliver to student groups, encouraging persistence with challenging coursework using presentation software in classroom or workshop settings.Multidisciplinary team collaboration — participate actively in student support meetings, synthesizing counseling observations with input from teachers, administrators, and family members.Assessment data interpretation — analyze results from standardized instruments using analytical software to inform individualized academic and career planning recommendations.
proficient
Comprehensive student records systems — oversee and audit across large, complex caseloads to ensure full legal compliance with district, state, and federal regulations in a diverse institutional environment.Multi-modal counseling interventions — deliver autonomously across individual, group, and family contexts to address the full range of educational, vocational, and behavioral challenges students present.School-wide crisis response — lead as primary counselor during critical incidents, applying advanced intervention models and coordinating mental health resources across the institution.Complex personal and social barriers to learning — assess and address through sustained counseling relationships, integrating psychological frameworks and community resources in high-needs school environments.Individualized graduation and transfer plans — develop and monitor for at-risk or special-population students, resolving non-routine transcript complications and advocating effectively in institutional processes.Strategic referral networks — cultivate and maintain with external mental health, career, and social service agencies to ensure students receive seamless wraparound support beyond the school setting.Data-driven academic advising — execute by synthesizing transcript data, assessment results, and labor market intelligence to guide students toward optimal degree programs and career trajectories.Resilience and perseverance coaching — provide through evidence-based motivational techniques that prepare students for the academic and personal demands of advanced educational transitions.Ethical and culturally responsive practice — apply consistently across all counseling interactions, navigating complex confidentiality, equity, and mandated-reporting obligations in diverse school communities.Professional consultation — provide to colleagues and school staff on student behavioral concerns, counseling best practices, and legislative compliance, drawing on deep domain expertise.
advanced
Institutional counseling program strategy — design and lead at the district or multi-campus level, establishing vision, goals, and accountability systems aligned with student outcomes and organizational priorities.Counseling staff development and supervision — direct through structured mentorship, clinical supervision, and professional learning communities that elevate practitioner competency across the department.Crisis intervention policy and infrastructure — architect and institutionalize, creating evidence-based protocols, training curricula, and rapid-response systems that protect students at organizational scale.Systemic equity and access initiatives — champion by identifying and dismantling structural barriers in course placement, graduation pathways, and post-secondary transitions for underserved student populations.Cross-agency partnership ecosystems — establish and govern with community mental health providers, workforce development agencies, and higher education institutions to expand student support capacity.Data governance and program evaluation — lead by designing metrics frameworks, overseeing CRM and student information systems, and presenting outcome analyses to executive leadership and governing boards.Legislative and policy advocacy — engage in at the state and national level, representing the profession's perspective on counseling ratios, mental health funding, and career education mandates.Comprehensive school counseling model implementation — drive district-wide adoption of ASCA National Model or equivalent framework, aligning resources, staffing, and professional standards to best practices.Workforce and succession planning — execute for the counseling division by forecasting staffing needs, recruiting advanced-degree talent, and designing onboarding systems that accelerate new counselor effectiveness.Thought leadership and scholarship — contribute through conference presentations, published research, and community partnerships that advance the field of educational counseling and influence practice standards.
Also known as
78 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Academic AdvisorAcademic CounselorAdmissions CounselorAdult School CounselorAdvisorArticulation OfficerAssessment SpecialistCareer AdvisorCareer CoachCareer ConsultantCareer CoordinatorCareer CounselorCareer DeveloperCareer Development ConsultantCareer Development CounselorCareer Development FacilitatorCareer Development SpecialistCareer Guidance CounselorCareer Services CoordinatorCareer Technical CounselorCareer Transition SpecialistChild Guidance CounselorCollege CounselorCounselorCurriculum CounselorDisability Services CoordinatorEducation CoordinatorEducation CounselorEducational AdvisorEducational ConsultantEducational Guidance CounselorElementary School CounselorEmployment CoachEmployment CoordinatorEmployment CounselorEmployment SpecialistEmployment TrainerEmployment Training SpecialistEnrollment CounselorEnrollment Specialist