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Debt management counselor education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a debt management counselor. Debt management counselors usually study law, business, or psychology. 49% of debt management counselors hold a bachelor's degree, and 16% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 468 real debt management counselor resumes to see exactly what debt management counselor education sections show.

The most common colleges for debt management counselors are the University of South Florida and the University of South Florida.

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

What education do you need to become a debt management counselor?

What degree do you need to be a debt management counselor?

The most common degree for debt management counselors is bachelor's degree, with 49% of debt management counselors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 16% and master's degree degree at 16%.
  • Bachelor's, 49%
  • Master's, 16%
  • Doctorate, 16%
  • Associate, 10%
  • Other Degrees, 9%

What should I major in to become a debt management counselor?

You should major in law to become a debt management counselor. 19% of debt management counselors major in law. Other common majors for a debt management counselor include business and psychology.

Most common colleges for debt management counselors

Debt management counselors often get their degrees at University of South Florida, University of Phoenix, and Metropolitan State University of Denver. Here are the most common colleges for debt management counselors in the US based on their resumes.
Debt management counselor common collegePercentages
University of South Florida13.11%
University of Phoenix11.48%
Metropolitan State University of Denver6.56%
Syracuse University4.92%
Virginia Commonwealth University4.92%

Best majors for debt management counselors

RankMajorPercentages
1Law19.4%
2Business16.9%
3Psychology12.7%
4Political Science6.3%
5Criminal Justice4.6%

Best colleges for debt management counselors

The best colleges for debt management counselors are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University.

A debt management 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 debt management 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 debt management counselors.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

4. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,308

Enrollment

6,819

5. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

6. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

7. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

8. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

9. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

10. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Champaign, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$15,094

Enrollment

32,974

20 best online courses for debt management counselors

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Top 10 most affordable universities for debt management counselors

The most affordable schools for debt management counselors are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and usf sarasota-manatee.

If the best universities for debt management 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 debt management 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. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

4. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

5. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

6. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

7. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

8. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

9. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

10. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for debt management counselors

The hardest universities for debt management counselors to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Stanford University.

Some great schools for debt management 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 debt management 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

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

3. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

4. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

5. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

6. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

7. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

8. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

9. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

10. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

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

The easiest schools for debt management counselors to get into are Barry University, university of north texas at dallas, and oklahoma wesleyan university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a debt management 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 debt management counselors.

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

2. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

3. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

4. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

5. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

6. University of Baltimore

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,020

7. La Roche College

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

99%

SAT average

1,008

8. Holy Family University

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,017

9. Ottawa University

Ottawa, KS • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,024

10. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey - Camden

Camden, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,086

Average debt management counselor salary by education level

Debt management counselors with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $69,403 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, debt management counselors earn a median annual income of $64,458 compared to $58,107 for debt management counselors with an Associate degree.
Debt management counselor education levelDebt management counselor salary
Master's Degree$69,403
High School Diploma or Less$57,703
Bachelor's Degree$64,458
Some College/ Associate Degree$58,107

Debt management counselor education FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
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.

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