Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
University counselor education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a university counselor. University counselors usually study business, psychology, or school counseling. 61% of university counselors hold a bachelor's degree, and 27% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 345 real university counselor resumes to see exactly what university counselor education sections show.
The most common colleges for university counselors are the Grand Canyon University and the Grand Canyon University.
There are also many online university counselor courses to help get the education required to be a university counselor.
What education do you need to become a university counselor?
What degree do you need to be a university counselor?
- Bachelor's, 61%
- Master's, 27%
- Doctorate, 6%
- Associate, 4%
- Other Degrees, 2%
What should I major in to become a university counselor?
- Business, 17%
- Psychology, 17%
- Law, 6%
- Other Majors, 51%
Most common colleges for university counselors
| University counselor common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Grand Canyon University | 34.48% |
| Wayne State University | 9.20% |
| University of Phoenix | 8.05% |
| Arizona State University | 4.60% |
| Miami Dade College | 3.45% |
Best majors for university counselors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 17.1% |
| 2 | Psychology | 16.7% |
| 3 | School Counseling | 8.6% |
| 4 | Law | 6.2% |
| 5 | Criminal Justice | 5.7% |
Best colleges for university counselors
The best colleges for university counselors are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Harvard University.
A university 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 university 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 university 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. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
6. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
7. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
8. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
In-state tuition
$17,653
Enrollment
16,405
9. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$53,740
Enrollment
5,567
10. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
In-state tuition
$49,816
Enrollment
6,840
20 best online courses for university counselors
Advertising disclosure
1. Academic Skills for University Success
Develop skills in information & digital literacy, problem-solving, critical thinking and communication.\n\nThis Specialization is a high-level academic skills course designed to increase your level of academic preparedness prior to commencement of your studies in an English-medium university. The course equips you for full participation and engagement with your studies by building awareness and understanding of the core values and expectations of academic culture...
2. Studying at Japanese Universities
Are you interested in studying at Japanese universities? Do you want to learn about Japan’s university application and enrollment processes, as well as the types of programs on offer? This course will help you to both discover great programs offered by different Japanese universities and prepare a study plan through project-based learning. We introduce a number of options to match a variety of goals, from full degree to non-degree programs, programs taught in English, as well as short-term...
3. Academic Writing Essentials: University Writing Crash Course
Learn the strategies, tools, and secrets to write successfully at the university level...
4. Professional Certification in Counseling - Fully Accredited
Become Professional Counselor (Counsellor)...
5. University Admission Prediction Using Multiple Linear Regression
In this hands-on guided project, we will train regression models to find the probability of a student getting accepted into a particular university based on their profile. This project could be practically used to get the university acceptance rate for individual students using web application. Note: This course works best for learners who are based in the North America region. We’re currently working on providing the same experience in other regions...
6. Speaking Skills for University Success
As a student in an English-speaking university, you’ll need to speak in many situations, both formal and informal, planned and spontaneous. In this course, you’ll get advice for speaking in many different situations. You’ll learn how to prepare for an academic discussion with classmates and how to lead a discussion effectively. You’ll learn about how to work smoothly in group projects—a popular type of assignment in many university classes—and what to say in small talk with classmates or others...
7. Intellectual Property Security Awareness
How to Use Social Media without Infringing on Trademarks, Copyrights, Trade Secrets and Patents...
8. Certified Spiritual Counselor & Psychology EmpathACCREDITED
Use a humanistic, soul care approach using strategy, positive psychology, emotional/impulse responses & natural empathy...
9. Writing Skills for University Success
Writing is a vital skill in university classes, whether you’re majoring in history or business management, economics or engineering. In this course, you’ll learn how to write effectively in different academic formats, especially essays and longer research papers. You’ll learn how to choose a topic for a paper, how to find reliable resources for writing it, and how to organize your ideas in a way that communicates clearly and fits the expectations of your professors. You’ll learn about the...
10. Intellectual Property in the Healthcare Industry
This course begins with an overview of general intellectual property law in the United States, then examines how the policy choices behind those laws shapes the behavior of major players in the healthcare industry. We will examine how patents and trademarks shape the behavior of pharmaceutical companies, and how complex issues involving medical research in university settings, and ownership of genetic information and material, are resolved by intellectual property laws. The course concludes...
11. Customer Service Foundation
An introductory course about understanding the foundations of Customer Service...
12. Customer Service Fundamentals: Putting People First
Customer Care Listening Great Customer Service Concern for Others Company Culture Engaging People Responding...
13. Preparing for Graduate Study in the U.S.: A course for international students
Preparing for graduate school in the United States can be nerve-wracking. Many international students have questions about what the programs are like and what resources they can use to excel in their studies. This course allows potential and incoming international students to practice their communication skills, identify tools that support academic success, and gain confidence as they prepare for their advanced degrees. Alongside advancing your English skills, get the chance to hear from...
14. Study Skills for University Success
In this course, you’ll learn about many important skills to support your study, including time management, discovering your own learning styles, and reading more effectively and increasing your vocabulary. You’ll hear some guidelines for studying effectively in online or remote classes, which are becoming more and more popular in university-level education. You’ll also improve your skills in listening to lectures and taking good notes to help you as you study for tests. Finally, you’ll hear...
15. Teach English Online: find students and start teaching now
The complete guide for anyone who wants to start a freelance career teaching English online...
16. [2023] Customer Service 2.0: Learn Digital Customer Service
Used by Chase®, Intel®, & more! Learn soft skills, social media customer service, diagnosing user problems, & more...
17. Customer Service, Customer Support, And Customer Experience
Customer service, customer support, and customer experience training. Loyal clients through world-class customer service...
18. TCP/IP Socket Programming in C#.Net For Coders & Students
C# Networking in TCP IP Socket Library - Examples in Win Forms With async/await Tutorial, Client Server Example Code...
19. Customer Service Success: Take Your Skills to the Next Level
3-in-1 Customer Service Training: Levels 1, 2, 3 Improve Your Soft Communication Skills, Customer Support & Experience...
20. Customer Service & Support For Customer Service Executives
Learn Customer Service Skills & Provide Excellent Customer Support, Customer Experience & How To Manage Upset Customers...
Top 10 most affordable universities for university counselors
The most affordable schools for university counselors are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for university 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 university 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. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
5. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
6. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. University of Houston - Victoria
Victoria, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$6,491
Cost of attendance
19,075
9. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
10. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for university counselors
The hardest universities for university counselors to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Harvard University.
Some great schools for university 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 university 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. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
4. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
6. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
7. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
8. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
9. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
10. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for university counselors
The easiest schools for university counselors to get into are Barry University, university of north texas at dallas, and gwynedd mercy university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a university 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 university 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. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
4. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
5. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
6. Holy Family University
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,017
7. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
8. University of Baltimore
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,020
9. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
10. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
Average university counselor salary by education level
| University counselor education level | University counselor salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $55,475 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $50,328 |
| Doctorate Degree | $56,145 |
University counselor education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common community and social services questions.
Search for university counselor jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025