Counseling Education graduates pursue 2 occupations, with top roles paying $64,330/yr or more. The career cards below break down wages, daily tasks, and 10-year job growth projections for each.
This page covers Counseling Education as a course of study: what it costs, where it is taught, and what graduates go on to earn. It sits inside the wider field of Education and how it pays overall, which is the better comparison if you are still choosing between subjects.
Counseling Education is a focused area of study within Education. You will not have trouble finding it: 493 colleges offer this program, from community colleges to research universities. About 14,512 students complete it each year, most walking away with a master's. Coursework pairs research methods with the applied study of people and institutions.
Colleges Offering
493
Graduates / Year
14,512
Avg Net Price / yr
$20,498
Who Studies This? Credential Breakdown
Of the 14,512 students who complete Counseling Education programs each year, the majority (90%) earn a master's degree.
The breakdown below shows the full credential distribution.
90%
Master's90%
Post-Master's Cert.4%
Post-Bacc Cert.3%
What Can You Do With a Counseling Education Degree?
This degree does not lock you into one job. Counseling Education graduates show up in 2 different occupations, and Educational, Guidance & Career Counselor pays the most at $64,330/yr median. Expand any card below to see daily responsibilities, in-demand skills, and 10-year growth projections.
Active ListeningSpeakingSocial PerceptivenessService OrientationReading Comprehension
Day-to-day responsibilities
Advise and assist students and provide educational and vocational guidance services.
Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.
Counsel students regarding educational issues, such as course and program selection, class scheduling and registration, school adjustment, truancy, study habits, and career planning.
Provide crisis intervention to students when difficult situations occur at schools.
High school diploma or equivalent16,500 openings/yr85K employed nationally
Social PerceptivenessActive ListeningSpeakingMonitoringCoordination
Day-to-day responsibilities
Coordinate activities in resident facilities in secondary school and college dormitories, group homes, or similar establishments. Order supplies and determine need for maintenance, repairs, and furnishings. May maintain household records and assign rooms. May assist residents with problem solving or refer them to counseling resources.
Communicate with other staff to resolve problems with individual students.
Observe students to detect and report unusual behavior.
Supervise, train, and evaluate residence hall staff, including resident assistants, participants in work-study programs, and other student workers.
Top Colleges for Counseling Education
Not sure where to study Counseling Education? These 20 colleges graduate the most students in it each year. Scroll right to compare acceptance rate, net price, and median earnings side by side.
Ranked by Counseling Education graduate volume. Scroll right to compare key stats.
Read our methodology →
Related Education Programs
Counseling Education is not the only path through Education: 14 other specializations sit alongside it. The comparison below ranks them by 4-year median earnings so you can see where this one lands.
Decide with data, not guesswork. These tools turn the numbers on this page
into a personal plan. Estimate the real cost of a Counseling Education program, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find
schools that match your profile.
The data on Counseling Education shows 2 measurable strengths and 1 real trade-offs. All points are sourced from College Scorecard earnings, BLS projections, and IPEDS graduate counts.
PROS
Strong hiring volumeRelated occupations generate more than 44,300 job openings per year combined, creating consistent demand for graduates.
Wide availabilityOffered at 493 colleges nationwide, with options at every price point and institution type.
CONS
Advanced degree often expectedTop roles in this field typically expect a master's degree or higher. A bachelor's may be a starting point rather than a terminal credential for the most competitive positions.
What jobs can you get with a Counseling Education degree?
Educational, Guidance & Career Counselor is one path, and it pays a median of $64,330 a year. It is not the only one: the Career Paths section below lists every occupation graduates actually go into, with wages and 10-year growth for each.
How long does a Counseling Education program take?
Four years for the bachelor's, plus one to two more if you continue on to a master's, which many Counseling Education students do. Some schools shorten that with an accelerated 5-year combined program.
How many colleges offer Counseling Education?
493 colleges and universities, so you are not short on options. That range runs from community colleges granting certificates and associate degrees to research universities with full doctoral tracks. Source: IPEDS.
What is the difference between Counseling Education and Education?
Counseling Education is the narrower of the two: Education covers the full discipline, while this program limits the curriculum to Counseling Education-specific courses, skills, and career tracks. Pick the specialization once you already know this is the direction you want; it gets you a more targeted credential, not a broader one.
What skills do employers look for in Counseling Education graduates?
Coursework alone will not get you hired. Employers hiring Counseling Education graduates consistently look for research methodology, interpersonal communication, and policy understanding. Experience with surveys, qualitative interviews, or statistical tools is often a differentiator in government, nonprofit, and research roles. Build those into your coursework and internships now, and the job search later gets easier.
What is the job outlook for Counseling Education graduates?
Outlook is moderate overall: related occupations average +3.2% projected job growth over the next 10 years. Residential Advisors are among the strongest-growth roles at +3.5%. That average hides real differences by role and location, so check the Career Paths section below for the projection on each specific occupation before you count on any single number.
Related Education Programs
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H
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