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

What is a classification counselor and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted expert

Dr. Tommy Casarez Ph.D.

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a classification counselor. For example, did you know that they make an average of $27.39 an hour? That's $56,978 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 classification counselor?

Dr. Tommy Casarez Ph.D.

Dr., Assistant Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology, Vanguard University

Opportunities come in many different shapes and sizes, but they are still out there. Whether you are seeking to land a job in education or the non-profit sector, you will need to familiarize yourself and get used to all things digital, for the sake of communicating effectively. The younger your student or service partner's mindset, the more digitally savvy you will need to be, especially in the classroom and in the non-profit world.

ScoreClassification CounselorUS Average

Salary

4.5

Avg. Salary $56,978

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 71.83%

male 28.17%

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 classification counselor

Explore classification counselor education requirements

Most common classification counselor degrees

Bachelor's

51.8 %

Associate

21.4 %

Master's

19.6 %

Start to develop specific classification counselor skills

Skills	Percentages
Community Resources	27.09%
Incident Reports	13.57%
Mental Health	12.47%
Criminal Justice	12.08%
Crisis Situations	7.00%

Complete relevant classification counselor training and internships

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

Research classification counselor duties and responsibilities

Deliver programs to offenders that are design to assist in a successful re-entry into the community following release from incarceration.
Provide behavior modification and social skills training to children and adolescents with ADHD and other behavioral and emotional disorders.

Apply for classification counselor jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a classification 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