Trained counselor education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a trained counselor. Trained counselors usually study psychology, business, or kinesiology. 62% of trained counselors hold a bachelor's degree, and 14% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 4,549 real trained counselor resumes to see exactly what trained counselor education sections show.

The most common colleges for trained counselors are the Florida State University and the Florida State University.

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

There are certain trained counselor certifications that you should consider. These trained counselor certifications include First Aid, CPR and AED Instructor and Certified Professional Counselor.

What education do you need to become a trained counselor?

What degree do you need to be a trained counselor?

The most common degree for trained counselors is bachelor's degree, with 62% of trained counselors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 14% and master's degree degree at 10%.

Bachelor's, 62%

Master's, 14%

Associate, 10%

High School Diploma, 10%

Other Degrees, 4%

What should I major in to become a trained counselor?

You should major in psychology to become a trained counselor. 27% of trained counselors major in psychology. Other common majors for a trained counselor include business and kinesiology.

Psychology, 27%

Business, 10%

Kinesiology, 6%

Criminal Justice, 5%

Other Majors, 52%

Most common colleges for trained counselors

Trained counselors often get their degrees at Florida State University, New York University, and University of Central Florida. Here are the most common colleges for trained counselors in the US based on their resumes.

Trained counselor common college	Percentages
Florida State University	8.29%
New York University	7.18%
University of Central Florida	6.63%
University of California - Davis	6.63%
University of Florida	5.52%

Show more common trained counselor colleges

Best majors for trained counselors

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Psychology	27.5%
2	Business	9.6%
3	Kinesiology	6.2%
4	Criminal Justice	4.9%
5	Sociology	4.5%

Show more common trained counselor majors

Best colleges for trained counselors

The best colleges for trained counselors are Northwestern University, Johns Hopkins University, and Duke University.

A trained 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 trained 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 trained counselors.

1. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,695

Enrollment

6,596

2. Montreat College

Montreat, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$26,920

Enrollment

714

3. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$15,262

Enrollment

30,079

4. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

5. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$59,430

Enrollment

8,216

6. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$53,740

Enrollment

5,567

7. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,465

Enrollment

6,483

8. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

In-state tuition

$53,399

Enrollment

7,356

9. Northwest Nazarene University

Nampa, ID • Private

In-state tuition

$29,800

Enrollment

1,268

10. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

20 best online courses for trained counselors

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Top 10 most affordable universities for trained counselors

The most affordable schools for trained 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 trained 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 trained 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. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

5. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

6. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

7. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

8. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Cost of attendance

25,275

9. San Jose State University

San Jose, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,796

Cost of attendance

24,514

10. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for trained counselors

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

Some great schools for trained 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 trained 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. Duke University

Durham, NC • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,516

4. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

5. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

6. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,512

7. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

8. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

9. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI • Private

Admissions rate

23%

SAT average

1,434

10. Swarthmore College

Swarthmore, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,465

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

The easiest schools for trained counselors to get into are Bluefield College, notre dame de namur university, and life university.

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

1. Bluefield College

Bluefield, VA • Private

Admissions rate

95%

SAT average

980

2. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

3. Life University

Marietta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

94%

SAT average

979

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. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

7. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

8. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

9. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

10. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

Average trained counselor salary by education level

According to our data, trained counselors with a Doctorate degree earn the highest average salary, at $43,756 annually. Trained counselors with a Master's degree earn an average annual salary of $42,612.

Trained counselor education level	Trained counselor salary
Master's Degree	$42,612
Bachelor's Degree	$34,370
Doctorate Degree	$43,756

Trained counselor education FAQs

What is the best college for Trained Counselors?

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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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