What degree do you need to be a guidance counselor?

You need a master's degree in behavioral science, social science, or education to be a guidance counselor. Guidance counselors play a vital role that supports student success, classroom effectiveness, and overall school harmony.

What should I study to become a guidance counselor?

You should study counseling or a related field to become a guidance counselor. There are a few states where you may begin working with a bachelor's degree, but most states require additional education before you can become a guidance counselor.

How To Become A Guidance Counselor: What It Is and Career Path

What is a guidance counselor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted Experts

Lesley Casarez Ph.D.,

Christopher Todd Belser Ph.D.

Contrary to what your high school experiences may have you believe, guidance counselors aren't there for when you get in trouble. Their job is to offer helpful advice to students who are having a tough time. Counselors are also responsible for helping parents help their kids.

They help kids navigate the confusing phase of adolescence and the impending changes from finishing school. These professionals aren't just there for emotional and mental support, however. Guidance counselors also help students with academic, career, social, and even personal issues.

Guidance counseling is a challenging and rewarding career path, and it begins with a major in any field related to human services and psychology. A background in statistics may also help interpret standardized test results and guide students on a suitable career path. Most states also require a master's degree in counseling and sufficient work experience.

What general advice would you give to a Guidance Counselor?

Lesley Casarez Ph.D.

Director, Quality Enhancement Plan Program Coordinator, M.S. Professional School Counseling Associate Professor, Curriculum and Instruction, Angelo State University

Curriculum and instruction are such a broad field that graduates can tailor their job searches to fit their particular interests. Whether a candidate wants to focus on pedagogical development, curriculum development, instructional strategies, or program evaluation and data analysis, advanced degree programs in curriculum and instruction allow them to do so. The job market is changing right now, with many educational entities shifting to either a hybrid or entirely virtual model for students. With this change, graduates will need to adapt to a more technological-based environment in which they operate.

ScoreGuidance CounselorUS Average

Salary

3.8

Avg. Salary $48,154

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

9.0

Growth Rate 10%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.62%

Asian 3.74%

Black or African American 10.64%

Hispanic or Latino 14.20%

Unknown 3.76%

White 67.03%

Gender

female 68.66%

male 31.34%

Age - 41

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 41

Stress Level

9.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

9.7

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

5.7

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a guidance counselor

Explore guidance counselor education requirements

Most common guidance counselor degrees

Bachelor's

51.2 %

Master's

37.8 %

Associate

5.2 %

Start to develop specific guidance counselor skills

Skills	Percentages
Crisis Intervention	9.86%
Community Resources	5.36%
Mental Health	4.88%
Professional Development	4.47%
Financial Aid	4.42%

Complete relevant guidance counselor training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New guidance counselors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a guidance counselor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real guidance counselor resumes.

Research guidance counselor duties and responsibilities

Utilize Salesforce to manage advertising programs for business owners.
Administer TACHS, PSAT, and other statewide examinations.
Provide individual counseling to students upon their request, SST referrals, or that of a teacher.
Utilize RTI for curriculum design and to identify students in need of extra academic & behavioral support.

Prepare your guidance counselor resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your guidance counselor resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a guidance counselor resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Guidance Counselor Resume templates

Build a professional Guidance Counselor resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Guidance Counselor resume.

Apply for guidance counselor jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a guidance counselor job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do guidance counselors rate their job?

-/5

5 Stars

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1 Star

Guidance Counselor reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2024

Cons

Stressful, dangerous neighborhoods, sometimes parents are dangerous as well. Work life balance isn't good. Documentation is very time consuming and you will bring that home to finish. If your agency requires that you do your app recorded time sheets then that will prove ardously time consuming constaint that cuts right into your work/home life balance...it's terrible. Wear and tear on your car, no shows from parents upsetting children and paid mileage is horrible. Get ready to barely have a life.

A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2022

Cons

Getting approval and watching families go through their proceed with difficulties

A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2019

Pros

Change agent when people are stuck and need support in the process of restoration. One on one and group processing is powerful.