A career counselor is a trained professional who helps people make informed decisions about their education, job search, and long-term career path. They work in schools, colleges, and private settings, using assessments, one-on-one counseling, and research to connect clients with opportunities that fit their skills and goals. Many career counselors hold a master’s degree and work closely alongside mental health and behavioral health professionals.
Think about how many jobs exist in the United States. Hundreds of thousands of distinct occupational titles, each with its own entry requirements, salary range, growth outlook, and day-to-day reality. Now think about trying to navigate all of that on your own, especially if you’re 17 years old, freshly laid off, or considering a complete career change at 40.
That’s where career counselors come in. They’re the professionals who help people cut through the noise, identify what they actually want, and map out a realistic path to get there. It’s not glamorous work, but it’s genuinely important, and it’s a field with meaningful ties to applied behavior analysis.
What Does a Career Counselor Do?
Career counselors spend most of their time working directly with clients, either one-on-one or in group settings. Their core job is helping people figure out what they want from a career and then figuring out how to get it.
In practice, that means a lot of different things depending on the setting and the client. A school counselor focused on career guidance might help a junior narrow down college majors based on her interests and aptitude scores. A counselor at a workforce development center might be helping a recently laid-off factory worker identify transferable skills and retrain for a new field. A corporate career counselor, sometimes called an Employee Assistance Program counselor, might be supporting employees through internal transitions or leadership development.
Day-to-day tasks often include administering career assessments and interpreting the results, helping clients write and refine resumes and cover letters, researching job market trends and specific industries, coaching clients on interview skills, and connecting people with job listings, apprenticeship programs, or continuing education options.
Career counselors also spend real time keeping up with the job market themselves. The field changes. Industries grow and shrink. Credential requirements shift. A good career counselor treats professional development as an ongoing part of the job, not a box to check.
Career counselors may also work under titles like Career Advisor, Job Coach, Career Specialist, or Employee Assistance Program Counselor.
How Career Counseling Intersects with Applied Behavior Analysis
This is where things get interesting for anyone coming from an ABA background.
Career counselors working with students who have disabilities, including those on the autism spectrum, often rely heavily on behavioral data to inform their guidance. A functional behavior assessment (FBA) conducted by an applied behavior analyst can give a career counselor critical insight into a student’s learning style, communication preferences, and behavioral patterns, all of which shape what kinds of work environments are likely to be a good fit.
ABA techniques also show up in the planning and goal-setting side of career counseling. Building a behavioral incentive plan to help a client develop the habits needed to complete a job training program, for example, is a strategy directly drawn from ABA principles. Career counselors who understand operant conditioning, reinforcement schedules, and behavior shaping have a real edge when it comes to helping clients who struggle with motivation or follow-through.
At the organizational level, large employers increasingly use Organizational Behavior Management (OBM) principles, often designed with input from board-certified behavior analysts, to support workforce development. Career counselors working inside those organizations may collaborate directly with BCBAs as part of employee assistance or talent development programs.
How to Become a Career Counselor
Career counseling is a social role at its core. You’ll spend your days listening carefully, asking good questions, and helping people articulate goals they may not have fully formed yet. Comfort with ambiguity, genuine curiosity about people, and a tolerance for difficult conversations are all part of the job.
Education Requirements
Most career counseling positions require at least a master’s degree. For school-based roles, a Master of Science in School Counseling (MSC) is typically preferred and often required for licensure. Private-sector positions may accept a bachelor’s degree in some cases, but a master’s opens significantly more doors and tends to come with higher earning potential.
When evaluating programs, look for accreditation through CACREP (the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs) for counseling degrees, or CSWE (the Council on Social Work Education) for social work programs. Accreditation matters because many state licensing boards and employers require it.
Licensure and Certification
No state currently requires a specific license to work as a career counselor. That said, some employers, particularly those in healthcare-adjacent or social services settings, look specifically for licensed professionals, most often Licensed Social Workers (LSW or LCSW). Social work licensure is issued at the state level and typically requires a master’s in social work plus passing scores on state and national exams.
For certification, the National Career Development Association (NCDA) offers the Certified Career Counselor (CCC) credential. It’s voluntary, not required, but it signals a genuine commitment to the field. To earn it, you’ll need an advanced degree plus at least 600 hours of career counseling experience, or completion of an NCDA-approved career development program.
Career Counselor Salary and Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks career counselors under the Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors category (SOC 21-1012). As of May 2024, the median annual wage for this occupational group was $65,140 per year, or $31.32 per hour. The mean annual wage was $71,520, reflecting higher-earning specialists pulling the average up.
Entry-level positions start around $43,580 per year (10th percentile), while experienced professionals in the top 10% earn $105,870 or more. The middle range lands between $51,690 (25th percentile) and $83,490 (75th percentile), giving you a solid sense of where most people in this field actually land.
Setting matters a lot when it comes to earnings. Career counselors working in elementary and secondary schools earn a median of $76,960 per year, the highest among the major employing industries, and school-based roles account for the vast majority of employment in this field. College and university career centers are the next largest employers, though they tend to pay somewhat less, with medians in the $57,800 to $60,170 range depending on public or private status.
Geography plays a significant role, too. California consistently tops the list for this occupation, with a mean annual wage of $96,440 statewide and several California metro areas among the highest-paying in the country. Washington, Massachusetts, and New Jersey also rank among the top-paying states. If you’re in a high-cost-of-living metro with a strong university presence or robust school district, you can expect compensation on the higher end of the range.
The BLS projects employment in this category to grow 4% from 2024 to 2034, which is about as fast as the average for all occupations. That translates to roughly 13,300 new positions over the decade and an estimated 31,000 average annual openings when you factor in both growth and turnover. Demand is driven by schools hiring counselors to address developmental and career-planning needs, expanding college career centers, and growing recognition of career wellness as part of overall well-being.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do career counselors need a license?
No state mandates a specific career counseling license. However, some employers, especially in healthcare or social services settings, prefer or require licensed social workers. If you’re planning to work in those environments, it’s worth looking into social work licensure requirements in your state early in your education planning.
What’s the difference between a career counselor and a life coach?
Career counselors typically hold graduate degrees, may have professional licensure, and work within established ethical frameworks set by professional associations. Life coaches have no standardized credential requirements, though many pursue voluntary certifications. Career counselors are more likely to use formal assessments, research-backed methods, and structured counseling approaches. If you’re looking for professional guidance on major career decisions, a credentialed career counselor is the stronger choice.
Can an ABA background help in career counseling?
Yes, in meaningful ways. ABA skills like conducting functional behavior assessments, building behavioral incentive plans, and applying reinforcement strategies translate directly into more effective career counseling practice, especially when working with clients who have disabilities, behavioral health challenges, or motivation barriers. Career counselors who understand ABA principles bring a distinct toolkit to their work.
Is a master’s degree required to become a career counselor?
Most school-based positions require it, and it’s strongly recommended for private-sector roles as well. A master’s degree gives you access to supervised field experience, a deeper theoretical foundation, and the credentials many employers expect. Bachelor’s-level positions exist but are typically limited in scope and advancement potential.
What professional organizations support career counselors?
The National Career Development Association (NCDA) is the primary professional organization for career counselors in the U.S. It offers the Certified Career Counselor credential, continuing education, and a network of practitioners and researchers advancing the field.
Key Takeaways
- Career counselors help clients navigate job searches, career transitions, and educational decisions using research, assessments, and one-on-one counseling.
- Most positions require a master’s degree; school-based roles typically require CACREP-accredited training in school counseling.
- No state mandates a career counseling license, but licensed social work credentials are preferred in some settings.
- ABA knowledge adds real value in career counseling, particularly when working with clients who have disabilities or behavioral health needs.
- The field is growing, driven by workforce development demand, expanding higher education, and greater awareness of career wellness.
Ready to explore your options? Whether you’re drawn to career counseling, ABA, or a role that combines both, the right graduate program makes all the difference. Browse accredited programs and find the fit that works for your goals.
2024 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and employment figures for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors reflect national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed February 2026.