Credit Analysts
Median wage · national
$83,510
Range: $65K – $122K
Employed
64K
Openings/yr
3K
Typically: bachelor's degree
BUSINESS
Credit Counselors
Credit Counselors earn $52,230 nationally at the median. The middle 50% of workers fall between $45,720 and $64,080. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and experience.
About Credit Counselors
This page sets out what the federal data says about working as a credit counselors: what the job pays, how fast it is growing, and what it takes to get in. Most people arrive through a degree in Finance and what it leads to, though it is not the only route.
Advise and educate individuals or organizations on acquiring and managing debt. May provide guidance in determining the best type of loan and explain loan requirements or restrictions. May help develop debt management plans or student financial aid packages. May advise on credit issues, or provide budget, mortgage, bankruptcy, or student financial aid counseling.
- Median Wage
- $52,230
- Employed Nationally
- 28K
- Openings / Year
- 2,000
- Entry Education
- Bachelor's degree
- Job Zone
- Zone 4: Considerable Preparation
Also known as:
Accredited Financial Counselor
Branch Credit Counselor
Certified Consumer Credit and Housing Counselor
Certified Credit and Housing Counselor
Certified Credit Consultant
How Much Do Credit Counselors Make?
Most credit counselors take home around $52,230 a year, below what most graduates with a bachelor's make. Half earn somewhere between $45,720 and $64,080, so where you land depends a lot on employer, specialty and city. Think carefully about how much debt is worth taking on for it. Source: BLS.
A wage on its own says nothing about whether the degree behind it pays for itself, which is a question of lifetime earnings set against the total cost of getting there.
$52,230
National Median (Annual)
Below average for bachelor's degree holders.
$46K–$64K
Middle 50% Range
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
Earnings Range
$45,720
Entry-level
$52,230
Median
$64,080
Experienced
What Do Credit Counselors Do?
This is what the job actually looks like on a Tuesday: 5 core activities and 5 skills the work depends on. Read it before the salary, because pay matters less than whether you would want to spend your days doing this. Source: O*NET.
What You'll Do
- Calculate clients' available monthly income to meet debt obligations.
- Explain services or policies to clients, such as debt management program rules, advantages and disadvantages of using services, or creditor concession policies.
- Create debt management plans, spending plans, or budgets to assist clients to meet financial goals.
- Prioritize client debt repayment to avoid dire consequences, such as bankruptcy or foreclosure or to reduce overall costs, such as by paying high-interest or short-term loans first.
- Assess clients' overall financial situations by reviewing income, assets, debts, expenses, credit reports, or other financial information.
Core Skills Employers Look For
Speaking
Reading Comprehension
Active Listening
Writing
Critical Thinking
Who Thrives Here
C
Conventional
Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.
S
Social
Working closely with people, teaching, advising, or helping others navigate challenges is a defining feature of this career's daily work.
E
Enterprising
Leadership, influence, and business acumen are rewarded here, where managing teams, driving decisions, or persuading others shapes career outcomes.
Where Do Credit Counselors Work?
What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.
Work Setting
Mixed
Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.
Physical Demands
Light
Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.
Stress Level
Moderate
Moderate pressure. Regular deadlines exist but are generally manageable with experience.
What Is the Job Outlook for Credit Counselors?
Through 2035 the BLS expects this field to change by +3.3%, meaning it is growing slowly, a little behind the average job. Around 2,000 roles open up each year, which is the number that matters most if you are starting out. Source: BLS.
Growth rates are only meaningful next to other occupations, and the full list of careers with their projected growth puts this one in context.
↗ +3.3%
10-Year Growth (2025–2035)
About as fast as average.
2,000
Annual Openings
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
28K
Currently Employed
Total US employment as of BLS May 2025.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025.
Where the Jobs Are
The five states below employ the most Credit Counselors professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $52,230 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 3,950 | $48,220 | -7.7% |
| 2 | Florida | 2,410 | $46,300 | -11.4% |
| 3 | California | 2,160 | $67,120 | +28.5% |
| 4 | New York | 2,020 | $63,030 | +20.7% |
| 5 | Michigan | 1,260 | $52,160 | -0.1% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
How to Get Here
To get hired here you will usually need a bachelor's degree. The program below is the most common route in, ordered by how many people actually graduate from each one.
Typical Entry Education
Bachelor's degree
Job Zone
Zone 4: Considerable Preparation
These positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles.
Degree Programs That Lead Here
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | 58,013 | $83,343 | 949 |
Top Colleges for Aspiring Credit Counselors
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY | 93 | $3,033 | $75,971 |
| 2 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | 93 | $6,541 | $71,588 |
| 3 | University of Chicago Chicago, IL | 91 | $14,860 | $91,885 |
| 4 | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN | 90 | $15,846 | $91,565 |
| 5 | University of Central Florida Orlando, FL | 90 | $10,411 | $58,308 |
| 6 | Florida State University Tallahassee, FL | 90 | $11,297 | $61,675 |
Plan Your Path
Once you've sized up Credit Counselors, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
College ROI Calculator
See if the degree that leads to Credit Counselors pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
College Cost Calculator
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Compare Colleges
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
College Match Quiz
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
Credit Counselors Pros & Cons
The data on Credit Counselors shows 0 measurable strengths and 2 real trade-offs. All points are drawn from BLS wage data, employment projections, and IPEDS program completions.
CONS
- Modest median salary At $52,230 median, this career lags STEM and business fields. High-cost degree programs may be difficult to justify on salary alone.
- Multi-year ramp before career-level pay This is a Job Zone 4 occupation, these positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles. Most workers in this field spend their first several years at entry-level pay well below the $52,230 median while building the experience employers require.
Credit Counselors Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Credit Counselors professionals earn?
Around $52,230 a year for the typical worker, below the national median, program ROI depends heavily on keeping tuition costs low. The middle 50% of earners fall between $45,720 and $64,080. Treat the national figure as a starting point rather than a promise: employer size, industry and city all move it.
Is Credit Counselors a good career?
Credit Counselors involves trade-offs worth understanding before committing. At $52,230 median, programs with high tuition are difficult to justify on salary return alone. Prioritize in-state public schools or employer-sponsored pathways. Job growth is projected at +3.3% through 2035. Genuine interest in the work, not just the salary, matters most here.
How long does it take to work as Credit Counselors?
Expect 4 years of undergraduate education followed by 2 or more years of field experience before most employers consider you qualified for career-level positions. A bachelor's degree is the typical minimum credential. Degree programs like Finance are typical entry paths. Early-career pay during this ramp-up period will be meaningfully below the $52,230 national median. Factor that gap into any program ROI calculation.
What is the job outlook for Credit Counselors?
Employment is projected to change by +3.3% through 2035, about as fast as average compared with other occupations. Around 2,000 roles open each year once you count people retiring and moving on, which matters more to someone starting out than the growth rate does. 28K people do this job nationwide today, so it is an established field rather than a niche one. Source: BLS May 2025.
What skills do Credit Counselors professionals need?
Mainly Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Writing, and Critical Thinking. Notice how many of those are habits rather than facts: they come from doing the work, not from a lecture. That is why programs with an internship or co-op requirement put you ahead of people who only studied the theory. Source: O*NET.
Related Findings
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10 Six-Figure Careers That Do Not Need a Bachelor's Degree
Air traffic controllers earn more than the typical bachelor's-degree career, with an associate degree. The occupations that pay six figures without four years of college.
- No bachelor degree
- High paying careers
- Associate degree
- Trades
- Median wage
-
Does a Master's Degree Pay Off? Barely, on Average
Group every career by the degree it requires and master's-level jobs pay a median of about $91,000, statistically tied with bachelor's-level work. The premium hides in a few fields.
- Master's degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Median wage
- Graduate school
- Career outcomes
-
Growing and Paying $80K Plus: The Careers That Do Both
Only 106 of 393 federal careers both pay a median above $80,000 and grow faster than the typical job. Here is the rare set that clears both bars.
- Career growth
- Median wage
- High-paying careers
- Job outlook
- Career change
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