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

What is a christian counselor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted expert

Juleen Buser Ph.D.

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a christian counselor. For example, did you know that they make an average of $16.55 an hour? That's $34,420 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 10% and produce 32,400 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a christian counselor?

Juleen Buser Ph.D.

Professor and Director, School Counseling and Coaching Programs, Rider University

Counseling Services (school counseling concentration) and an MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (we have a CMHC concentration and a Dance Movement Therapy concentration in this program). The general advice I would give to graduates starting positions in the counseling field would be to understand the critical importance of the work of helping professionals. Counselors optimally provide a safe space for clients to discuss their fears, worries, anxieties, joys, traumas, insecurities, accomplishments, etc. This ability to be an empathic, listening, accepting presence will be even more crucial for clients in our current situation.

ScoreChristian CounselorUS Average

Salary

2.7

Avg. Salary $34,420

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

9.0

Growth rate 10%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.62%

Asian 3.74%

Black or African American 10.64%

Hispanic or Latino 14.20%

Unknown 3.76%

White 67.03%

Gender

female 63.64%

male 36.36%

Age - 41

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 - 41

Stress level

9.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

9.7

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

5.7

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a christian counselor

Explore christian counselor education requirements

Most common christian counselor degrees

Bachelor's

50.4 %

Master's

22.9 %

Associate

16.0 %

Start to develop specific christian counselor skills

Skills	Percentages
Crisis Intervention	21.68%
Community Resources	20.88%
Substance Abuse	13.24%
Mental Health Issues	10.14%
Ministry	7.24%

Complete relevant christian counselor training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New christian 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 christian counselor based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real christian counselor resumes.

Research christian counselor duties and responsibilities

Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
Assist the ministry with transitioning and self-development plans for those with specific needs.
Provide ministry services within various facilities and organizations.
Work towards empowering juveniles and their families to support a positive lifestyle by providing strength base intensive intervention and rehabilitation services.

Apply for christian counselor jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a christian counselor job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do christian counselors rate their job?

-/5

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Christian counselor reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2019

Cons

The over documentation required by DHS that robs the quality time needed in intervention and treatment. This lopsided demand makes the term “best practices” mere bureaucratic lip service without the means to actually deliver quality hands on services.

Pros

Change agent when people are stuck and need support in the process of restoration. One on one and group processing is powerful.