School counselors are licensed professionals who support student success in K-12 settings through academic advising, college and career planning, and short-term counseling for social, emotional, and behavioral challenges. They typically need a master’s degree in school counseling and a state license to practice. Many school counselors also use ABA techniques when working with students who have behavioral needs or IEPs.
If you care about student success and want to spend your career making a real difference in kids’ lives, school counseling might be the path for you. It’s a role that combines counseling, advocacy, and collaboration, and it sits at the intersection of education, mental health, and behavioral support in ways that make an ABA background particularly valuable.
Here’s what school counselors actually do, how to become one, and where the career can take you.
What School Counselors Do
School counselors are more than homework helpers or college application coaches. They’re licensed professionals who work across every level of the K-12 system, providing services in three core areas: academic achievement, post-secondary planning, and short-term counseling for social, emotional, and behavioral issues.
On a given day, a school counselor might:
- Counsel a student on career options after high school
- Attend an IEP meeting for a student with a disability
- Help a student complete a college application
- Organize a schoolwide anti-bullying campaign
- Counsel a student working through a difficult home situation
- Run a group session on substance abuse prevention
- Work with administrators to develop a school crisis plan
- Help a teacher build classroom management strategies for a student with behavioral challenges
- Provide academic advising for new or struggling students
- Support parents and students during discipline procedures
They work in public and private schools, at every grade level, and they’re typically the connective tissue between students, families, teachers, administrators, and outside service providers.
School Counselors and Applied Behavior Analysis
Here’s where it gets interesting for anyone with an ABA background. School counseling can be a strong setting to apply ABA-informed strategies, and the connection between the two fields is growing.
ABA has traditionally been associated with children on the autism spectrum, but a growing body of evidence shows its strategies are effective with a much broader range of students and challenges. School counselors who understand ABA have a genuine advantage when it comes to designing behavior intervention plans, collaborating with special education staff, and working on IEPs.
A practical example: a school counselor familiar with extinction can help a teacher stop reinforcing a student’s disruptive behavior. When clinically appropriate and implemented as part of a structured behavior plan, extinction involves ignoring the behavior rather than reacting to it. Instead of responding to a student who leaves their seat and calls out in class, the teacher learns to withhold attention for the disruptive behavior and only acknowledge and reward the student when they’re behaving appropriately. Over time, the disruptive behavior fades because it’s no longer getting a response.
School counselors may also apply ABA-informed strategies when working directly with students on behavior contracts, goal-setting, and self-management plans. And their knowledge makes them valuable collaborators for the special education teachers, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists who may incorporate behavioral principles into their work.
How to Become a School Counselor
To become a school counselor, you’ll need at least a master’s degree in school counseling. The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) maintains a list of graduate programs by state if you’re looking for options.
Master’s programs in school counseling typically include a supervised practicum, an internship, and coursework covering:
- Human growth and development
- Individual and group counseling
- Career development theory and practice
- Research and program evaluation
- Psychological and social theory
- Pupil appraisal and evaluation
- School-based consultation
Public school positions require at least a master’s degree in most states, along with a state license or certification through your state board of education. Requirements vary, and many states also require passing an exam — either a state-specific test, the Praxis I, or the Praxis II: School Guidance Counseling exam.
You can find state-specific licensure requirements through ASCA’s state requirements page.
Professional Certification for School Counselors
Licensure gets you in the door. Certification sets you apart.
The National Board for Certified Counselors offers the National Certified School Counselor (NCSC) designation. To earn it, you’ll need at least two academic years of post-graduate experience as a school counselor and a passing score on either the National Counselor Examination (NCE) or the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMHCE).
If you want to go further into the behavioral science side of the work, you can also pursue the Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) credential through the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. The BCBA requires a master’s degree, completion of an ABAI-accredited course sequence, and a defined amount of supervised practical experience, followed by passing the BCBA exam. This designation is particularly valuable for school counselors who want to specialize in behavioral support, work closely with special education programs, or move into ABA-focused roles down the road.
School Counselor Salary and Job Outlook
School counselors earn competitive salaries, and compensation tends to reflect cost of living, years of experience, and whether you’re working in a public or private school setting.
According to May 2024 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors (the BLS category that includes school counselors) earned a national median annual salary of $65,140.
- 10th percentile: $43,580
- 25th percentile: $51,690
- 75th percentile: $83,490
- 90th percentile: $105,870
Geography plays a big role in earnings. The highest-paying states for this occupation are California, Washington, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Maryland, where mean annual wages range well above the national average.
Job growth for school counselors remains steady. The BLS projects employment for this occupation to grow faster than average through the coming decade, driven by growing student enrollment, increasing awareness of mental health needs in schools, and expanded requirements for counseling services under federal education legislation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do school counselors use ABA techniques?
Yes. While school counselors aren’t typically trained as behavior analysts, many apply ABA-informed strategies in their work, especially when supporting students with behavioral needs, designing behavior intervention plans, or collaborating on IEPs. School counselors with formal ABA training or a BCBA credential can be particularly valuable in schools with larger special education populations.
Do you need a master’s degree to become a school counselor?
In most states, yes. Public school positions typically require at least a master’s degree in school counseling or a related field, along with state licensure. Requirements vary, so it’s worth checking your state board of education for specifics.
What’s the difference between a school counselor and a school psychologist?
School counselors focus on academic achievement, college and career planning, and short-term counseling for social and emotional issues. School psychologists have more specialized training in psychological assessment and typically work more closely with students who have learning disabilities or complex mental health needs. Both roles often collaborate closely.
Can a BCBA work as a school counselor?
Not automatically. A BCBA credential doesn’t substitute for a school counseling license, which requires a master’s degree in school counseling and state licensure. However, a BCBA who completes a master’s in school counseling and earns state licensure could work in both capacities, which would be a genuinely powerful combination.
What does a school counselor do differently from a therapist?
School counselors provide short-term, school-focused support. They’re not equipped to provide ongoing therapy for serious mental health conditions, and most ethical guidelines and job descriptions are clear about that boundary. When a student needs more intensive support, school counselors refer them to outside mental health professionals. Think of them as the first point of contact, not the endpoint.
Key Takeaways
- Core role — School counselors support student success through academic advising, post-secondary planning, and short-term social and emotional counseling in K-12 settings.
- Education and licensure — Public school positions require at least a master’s degree in most states, along with a state license.
- ABA advantage — ABA knowledge gives school counselors a real edge when collaborating on IEPs, designing behavior plans, and working with special education teams.
- Certification options — The National Certified School Counselor (NCSC) designation and the BCBA credential are both worth considering for career advancement.
- Specializing in behavior — School counselors who want to focus on behavioral support can pursue ABAI-accredited coursework toward BCBA certification alongside their school counseling work.
Ready to take the next step toward a career in school counseling or ABA? Explore programs that can help you build the skills and credentials you need.
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 March 2026.