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How to hire a guidance counselor

Guidance counselor hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring guidance counselors in the United States:

  • There are a total of 21,509 guidance counselors in the US, and there are currently 75,740 job openings in this field.
  • The median cost to hire a guidance counselor is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend $1,105 per guidance counselor on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
  • New York, NY, has the highest demand for guidance counselors, with 5 job openings.

How to hire a guidance counselor, step by step

To hire a guidance counselor, you should create an ideal candidate profile, determine a budget, and post and promote your job. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to hire a guidance counselor:

Here's a step-by-step guidance counselor hiring guide:

  • Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
  • Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
  • Step 3: Make a budget
  • Step 4: Write a guidance counselor job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new guidance counselor
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a guidance counselor do?

The primary role of a Guidance Counselor is to help students develop skills for success, both in academics and social development. They also develop and implement educational and counseling plans with modern methods of teaching and mentoring.

Learn more about the specifics of what a guidance counselor does
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Post a guidance counselor job for free, promote it for a fee

  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you start hiring a guidance counselor, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    Hiring the perfect guidance counselor also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

    This list presents guidance counselor salaries for various positions.

    Type of Guidance CounselorDescriptionHourly rate
    Guidance CounselorSchool counselors help students develop academic and social skills and succeed in school. Career counselors assist people with the process of making career decisions by helping them develop skills or choose a career or educational program.$17-30
    ClinicianA clinician specializes in providing diagnosis, treatment, and direct care to patients with different illnesses. A clinician's duties mainly revolve around conducting extensive research and analysis, providing medical care through various therapies, and improving one's overall health condition... Show more$16-49
    School Social WorkerA school social worker specializes in counseling students, families, and faculty members. They are responsible for coordinating with the school to develop programs that prioritize the students' emotional and psychological well-being, respond to any issues and concerns, build rapport to identify their needs, and communicate with support services to provide necessary assistance to any students or families... Show more$19-35
    Show more

  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Crisis Intervention
    • Community Resources
    • Mental Health
    • Professional Development
    • Financial Aid
    • Conflict Resolution
    • Child Abuse
    • Substance Abuse
    • K-12
    • Career Development
    • Career Planning
    • IEP
    • Test Results
    • Community Agencies
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Utilize Salesforce to manage advertising programs for business owners.
    • Administer TACHS, PSAT, and other statewide examinations.
    • Provide individual counseling to students upon their request, SST referrals, or that of a teacher.
    • Utilize RTI for curriculum design and to identify students in need of extra academic & behavioral support.
    • Contribute to IEP manifestation meetings with students-parents-teachers.
    • Complete student educational assessments for upcoming IEP meetings.
    More guidance counselor duties

  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your guidance counselor job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A guidance counselor can vary based on:

    • Location. For example, guidance counselors' average salary in oklahoma is 46% less than in california.
    • Seniority. Entry-level guidance counselors 44% less than senior-level guidance counselors.
    • Certifications. A guidance counselor with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a guidance counselor's salary.

    Average guidance counselor salary

    $48,154yearly

    $23.15 hourly rate
    Entry-level guidance counselor salary
    $36,000 yearly salary
    Updated January 11, 2026

    Average guidance counselor salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1California$63,036$30
    2Connecticut$57,307$28
    3New Jersey$55,563$27
    4Maryland$54,939$26
    5Massachusetts$54,768$26
    6Virginia$51,408$25
    7New York$50,846$24
    8Texas$49,519$24
    9Pennsylvania$45,706$22
    10Oregon$45,552$22
    11New Mexico$44,306$21
    12Michigan$44,164$21
    13Colorado$41,458$20
    14New Hampshire$40,919$20
    15Missouri$39,497$19
    16Rhode Island$38,827$19
    17Florida$38,797$19
    18Ohio$37,671$18
    19Oklahoma$33,189$16

    Average guidance counselor salary by company

  4. Writing a guidance counselor job description

    A job description for a guidance counselor role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a guidance counselor job description:

    Guidance counselor job description example

    At PLA, we share an unwavering belief and passion for educating and empowering scholars from underserved communities driven by our Core Values: children first, respect, determination, continuous improvement, and gratitude. Our approach to leading successful schools builds on over 20 years of experience running educational programs for children, the latest scientific research, and the best practices throughout the nation.

    To create this kind of vibrant learning community, we hire only the best of the best educators & industry leaders and invest heavily in our faculty through ongoing professional development and support. We value people like you, people with a dedication to excellence and a passion for helping all our scholars develop the knowledge, skills, and character necessary to succeed while fueling their aspirations for the future.

    PLA is an equal opportunity employer and participates in E-Verify in all states that require it.

    Please read carefully.

    Phalen Leadership Academies (PLA) is an equal opportunity employer. PLA does not discriminate in employment on account of race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship status, ancestry, age, sex (including sexual harassment), sexual orientation, marital status, physical or mental disability, military status or unfavorable discharge from military service.

    By completing this application you understand that neither the completion of this application nor any other part of my consideration for employment establishes any obligation for PLA to hire me. If hired, I understand that either PLA or I can terminate my employment at any time and for any reason, with or without cause and without prior notice. I understand that no representative of PLA has the authority to make any assurance to the contrary.

    You attest by applying to this position that you have given PLA true and complete information on this application. No requested information has been concealed. I authorize PLA to contact references provided for employment reference checks. If any information I have provided is untrue, or if I have concealed material information, I understand that this will constitute cause for the denial of employment or immediate dismissal.

    Powered by JazzHR

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  5. Post your job

    To find the right guidance counselor for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with guidance counselors they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit guidance counselors who meet your education requirements.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your guidance counselor job on Zippia to find and recruit guidance counselor candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.

  6. Interview candidates

    To successfully recruit guidance counselors, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

    You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

    The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

  7. Send a job offer and onboard your new guidance counselor

    Once you've decided on a perfect guidance counselor candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

    It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

    To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

  8. Go through the hiring process checklist

    • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
    • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
    • Define job responsibilities and requirements
    • Establish budget and timeline
    • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
    • Write job description
    • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
    • Promote the job internally
    • Process applications through applicant tracking system
    • Review resumes and cover letters
    • Shortlist candidates for screening
    • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
    • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
    • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
    • Conduct background checks on top candidates
    • Check references of top candidates
    • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
    • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
    • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
    • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
    • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
    • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)
    Sign up to download full list

How much does it cost to hire a guidance counselor?

There are different types of costs for hiring guidance counselors. One-time cost per hire for the recruitment process. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, onboarding, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider all of these costs when evaluating hiring a new guidance counselor employee.

You can expect to pay around $48,154 per year for a guidance counselor, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for guidance counselors in the US typically range between $17 and $30 an hour.

Find better guidance counselors in less time
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Updated January 11, 2026

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