Post job

Mortgage counselor education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a mortgage counselor. Mortgage counselors usually study business, psychology, or criminal justice. 60% of mortgage counselors hold a bachelor's degree, and 18% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 493 real mortgage counselor resumes to see exactly what mortgage counselor education sections show.

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

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

What education do you need to become a mortgage counselor?

What degree do you need to be a mortgage counselor?

The most common degree for mortgage counselors is bachelor's degree, with 60% of mortgage counselors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 18% and associate degree degree at 11%.
  • Bachelor's, 60%
  • Associate, 18%
  • High School Diploma, 11%
  • Master's, 6%
  • Other Degrees, 5%

What should I major in to become a mortgage counselor?

You should major in business to become a mortgage counselor. 40% of mortgage counselors major in business. Other common majors for a mortgage counselor include psychology and criminal justice.

Most common colleges for mortgage counselors

Mortgage counselors often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, Arizona State University, and Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Here are the most common colleges for mortgage counselors in the US based on their resumes.
Mortgage counselor common collegePercentages
University of Phoenix14.04%
Arizona State University8.77%
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey7.02%
Virginia State University7.02%
Rider University5.26%

Best majors for mortgage counselors

RankMajorPercentages
1Business39.9%
2Psychology8.2%
3Criminal Justice6.4%
4Finance5.6%
5Communication4.3%

Best colleges for mortgage counselors

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

A mortgage 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 mortgage 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 mortgage counselors.

1. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

4. Maine Maritime Academy

Castine, ME • Private

In-state tuition

$13,478

Enrollment

979

5. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

6. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Enrollment

9,142

7. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

8. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,308

Enrollment

6,819

9. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

10. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$49,880

Enrollment

4,177

20 best online courses for mortgage counselors

Advertising disclosure

1. U.S. Residential Real Estate, Property & Mortgage Business

udemy
4.6
(2,324)

Property & Mortgage Underwriting Loan Processing Financial Analysis Mortgage Operations Origination...

2. Become a Mortgage Loan Processor

udemy
4.6
(3,074)

Finibi Mortgage CEO, Joe Correa, teaches you how to become a mortgage loan processor...

3. Advanced Mortgage Loan Processor: Essential Skills Training

udemy
4.5
(764)

Finibi Mortgage CEO, Joe Correa, teaches you how to take your mortgage loan processor career to the next level...

4. Loan Processor & MLO Mortgage Math: Problems & Solutions

udemy
4.7
(271)

Mortgage skills training and SAFE Mortgage Loan Originator Licensing Exam math prep with 115 problems & solutions...

5. Mastering the Pre-qualification Process of a Mortgage Loan

udemy
4.3
(257)

CEO and Founder of Finibi Mortgage teaches you how to pre-qualify borrowers from start to finish...

6. Start a Profitable Career as a Mortgage Loan Originator

udemy
4.3
(371)

Learn from the president and CEO of Finibi Mortgage, Joe Correa, how the entire mortgage process works...

7. Financial Accounting-Adjusting Entries & Financial Statement

udemy
4.6
(930)

Master Adjusting Entries & Financial Statements: A Comprehensive Guide for Accurate Accounting and Reporting...

8. Financial Statement Analysis

udemy
4.7
(255)

Learn how to make understanding financial statements your superpower!...

9. Accounting basics, create financial statements easily

udemy
4.5
(280)

Discover, develop, practice your financial information and explore the world of accounting...

10. Accounting & Financial Statement Analysis: Complete Training

udemy
4.6
(16,804)

Accounting & Financial Ratio Analysis made easy. Learn important accounting skills that will get your foot in the door!...

11. How to Read Financial Statements: Build Financial Literacy.

udemy
4.5
(811)

Read financial statements and speak the language of business without the drudgery of a traditional accounting course...

12. Mortgage Backed Securities (MBS): Basic to Advanced

udemy
4.8
(896)

Financial Markets MBS Asset Securitization Mortgage Loans Cash Flows CMOs PAC Bond Tranches...

13. Financial Accounting-Debits & Credits-Accounting Transaction

udemy
4.5
(781)

Masterclass: Learn Accounting Principles, Financial Statements, Transactions & More in this Comprehensive Course...

14. Financial Statement Analysis - Ratio Analysis

udemy
4.3
(1,189)

Master the Art of Financial Statement Analysis: Unlocking Insights through Vertical, Horizontal, and Ratio Analysis...

15. Audit - Financial Statement

udemy
4.4
(2,545)

Master the Art of Auditing Financial Statements: In-Depth Analysis, Techniques, and Real-World Case Studies...

16. The Advanced Real Estate Financial Modeling Bootcamp

udemy
4.8
(1,270)

The Complete Guide To Advanced Real Estate Financial Modeling For Real Estate Investment Professionals...

17. Financial Accounting: The Complete Introductory Crash Course

udemy
4.5
(1,604)

Learn the Basics of Financial Accounting: Financial Statements, Debits and Credits, The Accounting Cycle and More!...

18. Financial Accounting & Excel-Comprehensive Accounting Course

udemy
4.3
(736)

Comprehensive accounting course to learn the accounting cycle in a practical way and pick up critical Excel fundamentals...

19. Financial Statements: Balance Sheet, Income Stmt, Cash Flow

udemy
4.5
(574)

How To Quickly Read & Understand The Big 3 Financial Statements: Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Cash Flow Statement...

20. The Real Estate Financial Modeling Bootcamp

udemy
4.8
(8,299)

The Complete A to Z Guide to Modeling Real Estate Transactions in Microsoft Excel For Smarter Real Estate Investing...

Top 10 most affordable universities for mortgage counselors

The most affordable schools for mortgage counselors are SUNY Farmingdale, california state university - bakersfield, and baruch college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for mortgage 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 mortgage counselors.

1. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

2. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

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. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

5. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

6. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

7. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,238

Cost of attendance

21,567

8. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

9. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Cost of attendance

22,990

10. Clayton State University

Morrow, GA • Private

In-state tuition

$5,419

Cost of attendance

17,697

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for mortgage counselors

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

Some great schools for mortgage 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 mortgage 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. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

4. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

6. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

7. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

8. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

43%

SAT average

1,338

9. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

Admissions rate

40%

SAT average

1,376

10. Brandeis University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

31%

SAT average

1,398

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

The easiest schools for mortgage counselors to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, notre dame de namur university, and holy names university.

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

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

3. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

4. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

5. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

6. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

7. Life University

Marietta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

94%

SAT average

979

8. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

9. Presentation College

Aberdeen, SD • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,050

10. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

Average mortgage counselor salary by education level

Mortgage counselors with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $42,130 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, mortgage counselors earn a median annual income of $39,813 compared to $36,775 for mortgage counselors with an Associate degree.
Mortgage counselor education levelMortgage counselor salary
Master's Degree$42,130
High School Diploma or Less$36,579
Bachelor's Degree$39,813
Some College/ Associate Degree$36,775

Mortgage counselor education FAQs

Search for mortgage counselor jobs

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.

Browse business and financial jobs