How To Become A Certified Rehabilitation Counselor: What It Is and Career Path

What is a certified rehabilitation counselor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted expert

Aubrey Daniels Ph.D.

The average certified rehabilitation counselor salary is $42,200. The most common degree is a master's degree degree with an rehabilitation science major. It usually takes 6-12 months of experience to become a certified rehabilitation counselor. Certified rehabilitation counselors with a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) certification earn more money. Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 11% and produce 9,800 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a certified rehabilitation counselor?

Aubrey Daniels Ph.D.

Acting Assistant Professor, Rider University

Those who are beginning their career with a degree in mental and social health services and allied professions should aim to get as much experience as possible! Apply for positions where you are allowed to work with others, whether through one-on-one counseling, groups, or consulting. Also, take this time to learn about the business component of the profession, too.

Other ways to gain more experience is by partaking in a variety of training, online webinars, and conferences. There are many free online instructions you can partake in to gain more knowledge about topics of interest, whether it is a specific type of therapeutic approach or more information about a mental health disorder.

Also, be open! You never know which population you enjoy serving most, until you get the most experience possible. Lastly, a more diverse caseload will provide you with a better idea about how to help a wide range of individuals. It will also assist you in learning more about the different ways people view the world, which will widen your view of the world.

ScoreCertified Rehabilitation CounselorUS Average

Salary

3.3

Avg. Salary $42,200

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.4

Growth rate 11%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.6

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.66%

Asian 2.90%

Black or African American 13.69%

Hispanic or Latino 10.79%

Unknown 4.56%

White 66.39%

Gender

female 69.57%

male 30.43%

Age - 45

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45

Stress level

7.4

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.0

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.6

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a certified rehabilitation counselor

Explore certified rehabilitation counselor education requirements

Most common certified rehabilitation counselor degrees

Master's

47.1 %

Bachelor's

45.1 %

Associate

5.9 %

Start to develop specific certified rehabilitation counselor skills

Skills	Percentages
Rehabilitation	49.31%
CRC	31.81%
Behavioral Health	8.53%
Vocational Assessments	5.26%
Vocational Rehabilitation	1.32%

Complete relevant certified rehabilitation counselor training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New certified rehabilitation counselors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a certified rehabilitation counselor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real certified rehabilitation counselor resumes.

Research certified rehabilitation counselor duties and responsibilities

Collaborate with institutions of higher learning and local organizations to help assign veterans achieve independent living and academic success.
Authorize and coordinate rehabilitation services and developing work plans, providing vocational counseling rehabilitative assessment and placement of individuals with disabilities.
Complete referral application using rehabilitation technology.
Complete referral application using rehabilitation technology.

Prepare your certified rehabilitation counselor resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your certified rehabilitation counselor resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a certified rehabilitation counselor resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable certified rehabilitation counselor resume templates

Build a professional certified rehabilitation counselor resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your certified rehabilitation counselor resume.