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HIV Counselor Education Requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a hiv counselor. Hiv counselors usually study psychology, social work, or nursing. 59% of hiv counselors hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 906 real hiv counselor resumes to see exactly what hiv counselor education sections show.

The most common colleges for hiv counselors are the Temple University and the Temple University.

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

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

What education do you need to become a hiv counselor?

What degree do you need to be a hiv counselor?

The most common degree for hiv counselors is bachelor's degree, with 59% of hiv counselors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 15% and master's degree degree at 13%.
  • Bachelor's, 59%
  • Master's, 15%
  • Associate, 13%
  • High School Diploma, 6%
  • Other Degrees, 7%

What should I major in to become a hiv counselor?

You should major in psychology to become a hiv counselor. 14% of hiv counselors major in psychology. Other common majors for a hiv counselor include social work and nursing.

Most common colleges for hiv counselors

Hiv counselors often get their degrees at Temple University, University of California, Santa Barbara, and Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Here are the most common colleges for hiv counselors in the US based on their resumes.
HIV Counselor Common CollegePercentages
Temple University7.21%
University of California, Santa Barbara7.21%
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey6.31%
University of California, Berkeley6.31%
The University of West Florida6.31%

Best majors for hiv counselors

RankMajorPercentages
1Psychology13.6%
2Social Work11.4%
3Nursing9.5%
4Human Services8.3%
5Business6.8%

Best colleges for hiv counselors

The best colleges for hiv counselors are University of Pennsylvania, Johns Hopkins University, and Northwestern University.

A hiv 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 hiv 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 hiv 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. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-State Tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

4. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-State Tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

5. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-State Tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

7. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

8. San Jose State University

San Jose, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,796

Enrollment

27,125

9. University of California - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$13,226

Enrollment

31,568

10. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

20 best online courses for hiv counselors

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Top 10 most affordable universities for hiv counselors

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

If the best universities for hiv 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 hiv counselors.

1. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,182

Cost of Attendance

13,998

2. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,798

Cost of Attendance

18,306

3. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,262

Cost of Attendance

14,046

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. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,381

Cost of Attendance

21,034

7. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,942

Cost of Attendance

14,469

8. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-State Tuition

$5,656

Cost of Attendance

21,623

9. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,886

Cost of Attendance

17,645

10. California State University - Fresno

Fresno, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,587

Cost of Attendance

16,915

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for hiv counselors

The hardest universities for hiv counselors to get into are University of Pennsylvania, Johns Hopkins University, and Northwestern University.

Some great schools for hiv 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 hiv 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. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions Rate

8%

SAT Average

1,492

2. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions Rate

11%

SAT Average

1,513

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions Rate

8%

SAT Average

1,508

4. Boston College

Chestnut Hill, MA • Private

Admissions Rate

28%

SAT Average

1,429

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions Rate

20%

SAT Average

1,419

6. Case Western Reserve University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions Rate

29%

SAT Average

1,443

7. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions Rate

13%

SAT Average

1,445

8. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions Rate

6%

SAT Average

1,512

9. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions Rate

15%

SAT Average

1,506

10. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions Rate

22%

SAT Average

1,420

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

The easiest schools for hiv counselors to get into are Barry University, nyack college, and university of the incarnate word.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a hiv 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 hiv 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. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions Rate

88%

SAT Average

1,044

4. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions Rate

100%

SAT Average

1,072

5. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions Rate

86%

SAT Average

991

6. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions Rate

68%

SAT Average

964

7. Marymount University

Arlington, VA • Private

Admissions Rate

91%

SAT Average

1,065

8. Bluefield College

Bluefield, VA • Private

Admissions Rate

95%

SAT Average

980

9. Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA • Private

Admissions Rate

85%

SAT Average

1,053

10. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions Rate

84%

SAT Average

1,031

Average hiv counselor salary by education level

Hiv counselors with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $48,609 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, hiv counselors earn a median annual income of $42,140 compared to $37,232 for hiv counselors with an Associate degree.
HIV Counselor education levelHIV Counselor salary
Master's Degree$48,609
Bachelor's Degree$42,140
Some College/ Associate Degree$37,232

HIV 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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