Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors
Advise and assist students and provide educational and vocational guidance services. Help students develop academic plans, choose courses, and explore career options.
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors advise and assist students and provide educational and vocational guidance services. Help students develop academic plans, choose courses, and explore career options. The role reports a median annual salary of $65,140 in the US with the middle 80% earning between $38,070 and $102,220 and is projected to grow 4% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Entry typically requires a Master's degree, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.49 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include Active Listening, Speaking, Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation, Critical Thinking.
Salary distribution (US)
Real salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The p10–p90 spread tells you more than the median alone.
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Therapy and Counseling
- Psychology
- Education and Training
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Sociology and Anthropology
- Administration and Management
- Law and Government
A day in the life
Your morning starts with one-on-one meetings with students—helping a junior narrow down a college list, walking a sophomore through course selection, and checking in on a freshman who has been missing classes. By mid-morning you might lead a classroom guidance lesson on study skills or career exploration using interest inventories and labor-market data. Afternoons are spent writing recommendation letters, coordinating with teachers about at-risk students, reviewing transcripts for graduation requirements, and meeting with parents who have questions about financial aid. The job is part mentor, part navigator, and the reward is watching students discover paths they never knew existed.
Frequently asked questions
What does Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors do?
Advise and assist students and provide educational and vocational guidance services. Help students develop academic plans, choose courses, and explore career options.
What does a typical day look like in Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors?
Your morning starts with one-on-one meetings with students—helping a junior narrow down a college list, walking a sophomore through course selection, and checking in on a freshman who has been missing classes. By mid-morning you might lead a classroom guidance lesson on study skills or career exploration using interest inventories and labor-market data.
How much does Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors earn?
The median annual salary for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors in the US is $65,140. The middle 80% of workers earn between $38,070 and $102,220 annually. Entry-to-mid-career earners typically fall between $47,440 and $81,630.
What is the job outlook for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors?
The role is projected to grow 4% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Current US employment is approximately 376,300 workers.
How do I become educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors?
The typical entry education is a Master's degree. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Active Listening, Speaking, Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors?
Our AI-durability model gives Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors a score of 0.49 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors has high barrier to entry — highly gated — a graduate degree or extended training/apprenticeship is typically required.
Is Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors right for you?
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