Counselor Education Requirements

Q: What degree do you need to be a counselor?

To be a counselor, you need a master's degree from an accredited university. Before receiving your master's degree, you will need to have completed undergraduate requirements. Although there is no specific major requirement, a degree in communications or psychology will greatly aid you in graduate school. In graduate school, you will need to decide whether you want to seek a Master of Science or a Master of Arts. The Master of Arts will emphasize advanced analysis and research methodology, while the Master of Science has a larger focus on counseling and behavioral science. Either of them would be beneficial for a career in marriage counseling. After graduate school, you will then need to pass a licensing exam before you can legally begin working as a counselor. This exam has state-specific requirements that vary from state to state, so it is important to be aware of the specific requirements in whichever state you plan on practicing. Once you pass, you may begin to work in whichever environment you find yourself called to.

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a counselor. Counselors usually study psychology, social work, or business. 59% of counselors hold a bachelor's degree, and 18% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 108,261 real counselor resumes to see exactly what counselor education sections show.

The most common colleges for counselors are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online counselor courses to help get the education required to be a counselor.

There are certain counselor certifications that you should consider. These counselor certifications include Pastoral Counseling Certification and Certified Professional Counselor.

What education do you need to become a counselor?

What degree do you need to be a counselor?

The most common degree for counselors is bachelor's degree, with 59% of counselors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 18% and master's degree degree at 11%.

Bachelor's, 59%

Master's, 18%

Associate, 11%

High School Diploma, 8%

Other Degrees, 4%

What should I major in to become a counselor?

You should major in psychology to become a counselor. 25% of counselors major in psychology. Other common majors for a counselor include social work and business.

Psychology, 25%

Social Work, 10%

Business, 9%

Criminal Justice, 8%

Other Majors, 48%

Most common colleges for counselors

Counselors often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, Liberty University, and Florida State University. Here are the most common colleges for counselors in the US based on their resumes.

Counselor Common College	Percentages
University of Phoenix	13.31%
Liberty University	7.10%
Florida State University	6.89%
Pennsylvania State University	6.21%
Texas A&M University	4.82%

Show more common counselor colleges

Best majors for counselors

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Psychology	25.1%
2	Social Work	9.5%
3	Business	8.7%
4	Criminal Justice	8.3%
5	School Counseling	5.6%

Show more common counselor majors

Best colleges for counselors

The best colleges for counselors are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and Boston College.

A counselor with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for counselors. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become counselors.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

3. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,464

Enrollment

9,639

4. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-State Tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

5. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-State Tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

6. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-State Tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

7. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-State Tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

8. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

9. Fordham University

Bronx, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$52,687

Enrollment

9,392

10. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

In-State Tuition

$53,399

Enrollment

7,356

20 best online courses for counselors

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Top 10 most affordable universities for counselors

The most affordable schools for counselors are Baruch College of the City University of New York, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - long beach.

If the best universities for counselors are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for counselors.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,262

Cost of Attendance

14,046

2. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,182

Cost of Attendance

13,998

3. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,798

Cost of Attendance

18,306

4. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-State Tuition

$5,620

Cost of Attendance

18,136

5. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,556

Cost of Attendance

19,434

6. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,942

Cost of Attendance

14,469

7. Queens College of the City University of New York

Queens, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,338

Cost of Attendance

14,281

8. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,381

Cost of Attendance

21,034

9. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-State Tuition

$5,656

Cost of Attendance

21,623

10. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,886

Cost of Attendance

17,645

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for counselors

The hardest universities for counselors to get into are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and Boston College.

Some great schools for counselors are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for counselors based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions Rate

SAT Average

1,508

2. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions Rate

11%

SAT Average

1,513

3. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions Rate

28%

SAT Average

1,429

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions Rate

SAT Average

1,492

5. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions Rate

15%

SAT Average

1,506

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions Rate

20%

SAT Average

1,419

7. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions Rate

22%

SAT Average

1,420

8. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions Rate

13%

SAT Average

1,445

9. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions Rate

SAT Average

1,512

10. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions Rate

19%

SAT Average

1,466

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for counselors

The easiest schools for counselors to get into are Barry University, nyack college, and notre dame de namur university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a counselor without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for counselors.

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions Rate

91%

SAT Average

1,006

2. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions Rate

98%

SAT Average

999

3. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions Rate

82%

SAT Average

983

4. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions Rate

86%

SAT Average

991

5. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions Rate

84%

SAT Average

1,031

6. Texas Woman's University

Denton, TX • Private

Admissions Rate

87%

SAT Average

1,059

7. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions Rate

78%

SAT Average

1,024

8. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions Rate

70%

SAT Average

849

9. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions Rate

88%

SAT Average

1,044

10. Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA • Private

Admissions Rate

85%

SAT Average

1,053

Average counselor salary by education level

According to our data, counselors with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $46,119 annually. Counselors with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $37,421.

Counselor education level	Counselor salary
Master's Degree	$46,119
Bachelor's Degree	$37,421
Some College/ Associate Degree	$31,219

Counselor Education FAQs

What degree do you need to be a counselor?

What is the best college for Counselors?

Have more questions? See all answers to common community and social services questions.

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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