How to Obtain an Impressive Counselor Salary and Counselor Degree

First, Whether your looking for a job, changing jobs or changing careers, or are looking to obtain a counselor degree, you have come to the right place. At counselor salary.org we help people research job, salary and school information! Counselor salary.org is one of the number one resources for job seekers who are looking for a great high paying career in the Counseling industry. We provide up-to-date job information, requirements, research tools, as well as the resources to perform a successful job search that may give you an advantage over your competition. And in today’s tough job market, that is more important than ever. It is also advised to check all avenues when looking for information in this career field. These articles supply a lot of good information about the counselor career field, but there is always more information out there.

It is also advised to do plenty of research before committing to a career in this profession. Educational, vocational, and school counselors work primarily in elementary, secondary schools, colleges and universities. Other types of counselors work in a wide variety of public and private establishments; including health care facilities, job training, career development, and vocational rehabilitation centers, social agencies, correctional institutions and residential care facilities. Employment of school counselors as well as a counselor salary is expected to grow with increases in student enrollments at post-secondary schools and colleges and as more states require elementary schools to employ counselors.

Demand for vocational or career counselors should grow as multiple job and career changes become common for workers and as workers become increasingly aware of the counselor’s services. State and local governments will employ a growing numbers of counselors who have exhausted their eligibility for unemployment and must find jobs. Counselors held about seven-hundred thousand jobs in 2010. Employment was distributed among other counseling jobs such as: educational, vocational and school counselors which held two-hundred fifty thousand jobs.

Rehabilitation counselors held one-hundred thirty thousand jobs, mental health counselors held ninety-thousand jobs, substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors held seventy-five thousand jobs, marriage and family therapists held twenty-five thousand jobs and all other counselors held thirty-thousand jobs. To obtain a counselor degree and have a high paying counselor salary the requirements typically include the completion of a master’s degree in counseling, the accumulation of two years or three-thousand hours of supervised clinical experience beyond the master’s degree level, the passage of a state recognized exam, adherence to ethical codes and standards, and the completion of annual continuing education requirements. A counselors degree often qualifies a person to work as a counseling aide, rehabilitation aide, or social service worker. Some states require counselors in public employment to have a master’s degree; others accept a bachelor’s degree with appropriate counseling courses. Counselor education programs in colleges and universities usually are found in departments of education or psychology.

Fields of study include college student affairs, elementary or secondary school counselor, education counselor, marriage and family counselor, substance abuse counselor, rehabilitation counselor, clinical mental health counselor, counseling psychology, career counselor, and related fields. Courses are grouped into eight areas: human growth and development, social and cultural diversity, relationships, group work, career development, assessment, research and program evaluation, and professional identity. As mentioned, the counselors degree is typically required to be licensed as a counselor. A bachelor degree often qualifies a person to work as a counseling aide, rehabilitation aide, or social service worker. In an accredited master’s degree program, fifty to sixty-five semester hours of graduate study, including a period of supervised clinical experience in counseling, are required.

Average annual earnings of educational, vocational, and school counselors were fifty-five thousand dollars. The starting counselor salary was thirty-five thousand dollars a year. The average annual earnings of substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors are forty-thousand dollars. Earnings of mental health counselors are thirty-five thousand dollars annually. Average earnings of rehabilitation counselors are twenty-eight thousand dollars a year. For substance abuse, mental health, and rehabilitation counselors, government employers generally pay the highest wages. These salaries will also vary depending on location, experience, as well as education.

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Counselors Salary and Degree

Some counselor jobs assist people with personal, family, educational, mental health, and career decisions and problems. Their duties depend on the individuals they serve and on the settings in which they work. Some school counselors work the traditional nine to ten month school year with a two to three month vacation, but increasing numbers, especially those working in middle and high schools, are employed on eleven month or full-year contracts. All counselors must possess high physical and emotional energy to handle the array of problems that they address. Dealing daily with these problems can cause stress. Although the risk of litigation is relatively low, it is still prudent for counselors in all fields to hold some form of personal liability insurance. To earn an above average counselor salary all states require school counselors to hold a certification and to have completed at least some course work, most require the completion of a counselor degree.

Some states require counselors to have counseling certificates and to have had some teaching experience before receiving certification. Requirements typically include the completion of a masters degree in counseling, the accumulation of 2 years or 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience beyond the masters degree level,adherence to ethical codes and standards. Persons interested in a counselor degree should have a strong desire to help others and should possess the ability to inspire respect, trust, and confidence. They should be able to work independently or as part of a team.To have a great counselor career you must follow the code of ethics associated with their respective certifications and licenses.

Educational, vocational, and school counselors work primarily in elementary and secondary schools and colleges and universities. Other types of counselors work in a wide variety of public and private establishments, including correctional institutions, and residential care facilities, such as halfway houses for criminal offenders and group homes for children, the elderly, and the disabled. Some counselors work in therapeutic communities where addicts live while undergoing treatment. The average counselor salary is about thirty-two thousand dollars a year. Others in this career field earned a counselor salary of between twenty-six and fifty-thousand dollars annually. The lowest ten percent earned less than twenty-thousand a year and the highest ten percent earned more than sixty grand a year. As always these salaries and information can vary from location to location and from job to job, so this information is based on averages. An individual may want to do more research on this career field before committing oneself.

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Obtain an Impressive School Counselor Salary

Employment of school counselors is expected to grow along with the counselor salary with increases in student enrollments at post-secondary schools and colleges and as more states require elementary schools to hire counselors. Expansion of the responsibilities of school counselors should also lead to increases in their employment. Counselors are becoming more involved in crisis and preventive counseling, helping students deal with issues ranging from drug and alcohol abuse to death and suicide. Although schools and governments realize the value of counselors in helping their students to achieve academic success, budget constraints at every school level will slow job growth of school counselors. Federal grants and subsidies may help to offset tight budgets and allow the reduction in student to counselor ratios to continue. Job prospects should be more favorable in rural and inner city schools.

All states require school counselors to hold a state school counseling certification and to have completed at least some graduate course work; most require the completion of a counselor degree. Some states require public school counselors to have both counseling and teaching certificates and to have had some teaching experience before receiving certification. Educational, vocational, and school counselors provide individuals and groups with career, personal, social and educational counseling. School counselors assist students of all levels, from elementary school to secondary education. Elementary school counselors provide individual, small-group, and classroom guidance services to students. For an individual to receive an increase in their counselor salary, counselors will need to observe children during classroom and play activities and talk with their teachers and parents to evaluate the child’s strengths, problems, or special needs.

School counselors at all levels help students to understand and deal with social, behavioral, and personal problems. These counselors emphasize preventive and developmental counseling to enhance students’ personal, social, and academic growth and to provide students with the life skills needed to deal with problems before they worsen. Education and training requirements for counselors are often very detailed and vary by state and specialty, but a counselor degree usually is required to become a licensed counselor. Prospective counselors should check with state and local governments, prospective employers, and national voluntary certification organizations to determine which requirements apply. Some states require school counselors to hold a state school counseling certification and to have completed at least some graduate coursework or hold some kind of counselor degree. Most require the completion of a master’s degree in counseling or related field of study. Some states require school counselors to be licensed, which generally entails completing continuing education credits. Some states require public school counselors to have both counseling and teaching certificates and to have had some teaching experience.

School counselors help students make decisions that affect their personal and academic development. Sometimes they provide drug and alcohol abuse rehabilitation or conflict resolution sessions. Counselors in elementary schools work mainly with students who disrupt classrooms or have physical handicaps. They also counsel students who get into trouble in the community. Job seekers can apply directly to superintendents of school districts. College placement offices, professional associations and journals, private employment agencies and newspaper classified ads may offer employment leads. In some areas counselors are assigned to schools when they are certified. An average school counselor salary is forty-five thousand dollars a year, with experienced counselors earning more than seventy-two thousand dollars annually. The average counselor salary for elementary and secondary school counselors is fifty-six thousand dollars per year. With benefits that include paid holidays, vacations, sick leave, health insurance, and retirement plans.

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Obtaining an Impressive Guidence Counselor Salary and Counselor Degree

Guidance counselors advise students at all levels of the educational system to help them first succeed at school and later transition into careers. Counselor’s programs generally divide their time between class work and an internship, the latter to gain experience applying concepts learned in the former. Counselor degree courses are likely to cover counseling theory, behavioral counseling, group counseling, family therapy, research models, child and adolescent psychology, abnormal psychology, and collaborative consultation. The counselor duties will vary depending on whether they work in an elementary school, middle school or high school. Guidance counselors spend most of their time helping students adjust to the school environment. They observe children in class and at play, consult with teachers and parents about child’s needs and confer with teachers and administrators about curricular adjustments to meet those needs.

Secondary school counselors help prepare students for their lives after secondary education. Counselors advise students on which college major suits them, help them meet admission requirements and make them aware of all possible financial aid and scholarship opportunities. Counselors work in a school environment and assist student in decisions regarding choices of classes and future careers. A guidance counselor generally has a bachelor’s degree, but requirements vary by state and institution. Counselors usually have the role of student teacher. Counselor’s work with students on career and college planning and help them pick their course of study. Counselor’s monitor and adjust student schedules to best serve the students’ academic needs. The starting guidance counselor salary is thirty-three thousand dollars a year and a counselor who has been working ten to fifteen years may make fifty-six thousand dollars annually.

A guidance counselor who works in an elementary or secondary school has a counselor salary range of about forty-seven thousand dollars per year. A junior college counselor earns slightly less than the counselors who are working at professional institutes and they earn about fifty-five thousand dollars a year. But those counselors who work in vocational rehabilitation centers earn a sizable portion less than the others thirty-seven thousand dollars per year. If you are interested in becoming a counselor, you will mostly likely start you education with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Upon graduation and earning a counselor degree, you will need to enter into a master’s program where you will specialize in counseling or social work. A schools guidance counselor is an important part of the education system. As the name suggests, they guide and thereby helps the students to take informed decisions as far as their education is concerned. Among other things, to have a good guidance counselor career, a guidance counselor will need to be a very patient and an informed professional, because he or she is responsible for shaping the lives of young individuals.

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Chemical Dependency Counselor Salary and Counselor Degree Information

Chemical dependency counselors are required to hold a Master’s degree in counseling and must be licensed. At least two years, or a total of 3,000 hours of clinical experience under a licensed counselor is also required. For a good chemical dependency counselor career you must be fully educated in and comply with all of the ethical codes. To earn an impressive counselor salary the counselors must work directly with people who have dependencies on drugs and alcohol. Dependency counselors deal with individuals and families requiring assistance dealing with drug and alcohol abuse problems.

The dependency counselor formulates a program for treatment and rehabilitation of client, using knowledge of alcohol and drug abuse and treatment techniques. The counselor talks with clients individually and in group sessions to assist clients in overcoming alcohol and drug addiction. They counsel family members to assist family in dealing with and providing support for client. To make sure that you will earn a great counselor salary a chemical dependency counselor jobs required them to refer clients to other services as needed, such as social services and employment services. Counselors assist people who have encountered problems with drugs and alcohol. They help those who are chemically dependent to drugs or alcohol to identify problems and behaviors related to addictions.

Group counseling is available although one-on-one counseling is also helpful as well. They also counsels family members to assist family in dealing with and providing support for client. Counselors monitor condition of clients to evaluate success of therapy, and adapts treatment as needed. They also prepares and maintains reports and case histories. The requirements to become a counselor are: an individual must have a masters or doctorate degree from an accredited college or university that is recognized the corresponding professional associations in the clinical or administrative mental health field. A minimum of three years of clinical or mental health care administration experience, after receiving the graduate degree or counselor degree. You must have the capability to complete accurate social assessment.

Other requirements are, you must be able to pass an extensive criminal background check, you must also be a United States citizen, you must possess a current state license or state certification to practice as a clinical mental health worker, or a social worker. An average chemical dependency counselor salary is about fifty-thousand dollars annually. Individuals just entering the field earn an average salary of about thirty-six thousand dollars a year, while experienced counselors earn between sixty-thousand dollars per year up to eighty-five thousand dollars a year. The amount of the chemical dependency counselor salary may vary depending on location, the knowledge and skills of the counselor, also experience and counselor degree of the counselor plays a big role in salary amounts.

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Counselor Degree and Admissions Counselor Salary Information

Admissions counselors must have a background rich in education and administration experience. Most have a strong working knowledge of administration policies and program requirements. A well trained admissions counselor can be a wonderful asset to students as well as to the school, they can essentially act as the middle man between students and the appropriate programs. Admissions counselors typically work in one of two fields: either recruiting future students or helping current students prepare for their future education. Those that wish to have an admissions counselor career may be hired by high schools which typically have a lower counselor salary and community colleges which have more money to help students set goals and take required courses to get into a particular type of school. Counselors outline the requirements of programs in the student’s field of interest and make sure the student is fulfilling any necessary courses.

Counselors who work at the secondary level and have a counselor degree will be expected to organize recruitment events for their school where they promote their school to potential students and their parents. They meet with incoming students to discuss the application status and to provide them with information. Admissions counselors handle tasks such as maintaining correspondence regarding recruitment and admissions assessments. This includes email, print, phone and other types of correspondence. Counselors are expected to be knowledgeable about business technology in order to use student databases. They supply students with information about what the various courses of study involve. They also help students find of helpful programs and counsel them on what the requirements for admissions entail and educate them on campus life. The average starting counselor salary is around thirty-thousand dollars and can increase up to over sixty-thousand dollars per year depending on experience, education, skills, and location.

The position requires travel, often on nights and weekends, in order to visit schools and find prospective students. Counselors may make presentations at high schools and colleges presenting materials and educating students about what the specific college or university has to offer. Counselor jobs may be at both the high school and college level, have a wide variety of responsibilities involved with the application process. At the college level, admissions counselors often work to improve the school’s visibility throughout the community and to entice potential applicants. A counselor must have a counselor degree and a background rich in education and administration experience.

Counselors may often be a graduate of the school in which they work for, having gained the position after completing a student job in the admissions office. Most have a strong working knowledge of school administration policies and program requirements. A starting admissions counselor salary may vary depending on school and location. The average starting admissions counselors’ salary is around thirty-thousand dollars and can increase up to over sixty-thousand dollars a year depending on experience, education, skills, and location.

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Substance Abuse Counselor Salary and Counselor Degree Information

Substance abuse counselors work in a variety of medical settings, such as hospitals and clinics. They will usually be employed in halfway houses and other types of therapeutic communities set up to help recovering addicts who may have been incarcerated because of crimes related to their addiction and who are now trying to integrate back into society. Substance abuse counselors will work in settings individually or as part of a team. Some abuse counselors also open their own private practices. People in the substance abuse counselor career field must have a desire to help people in need. They should display strong listening and communication skills. To acquire a great counselor salary, counselors should also have a high level of energy, both physically and emotionally, to deal with the various types of problems and stress they will encounter.

Chemical abuse counselors work in a variety of medical settings, such as hospitals and clinics. A counselor career is best suited for the person with a strong desire to help people dealing with drug and alcohol addiction. Counselors work with people who are addicted to alcohol and/or other substances. These counselors must assess their clients and then provide appropriate individual or group counseling to help them identify and understand behaviors and problems related to their addictions. Counselors work in hospitals, correctional institutions, therapeutic communities, detoxification centers, private practice, and addiction treatment centers these counselors make a much higher counselor salary due to their responsibilities. The work week is generally forty hours, but weekends and holidays may be necessary depending on the location. Training programs vary in length from two-year associate degrees, graduate programs and counselor degree courses. In addition to general college courses, major courses include basic counseling skills, group counseling, abuse counseling, crisis intervention, abuse research, program evaluation, ethics, and records management.

The associate level of a licensed abuse counselor requires three-thousand hours of related supervised work hours in addition to a counselor degree, while the independent substance abuse counselor license requires three-thousand supervised related work hours after completion of a master’s degree. The requirements include a bachelor’s degree in any field, six-thousand hours of work experience within the past ten years, three-hundred hours of direct supervision, and three-hundred hours of education. For an individual to obtain a good counselor salary they must pass the written exam, as well as an oral exam. Substance abuse counselor licenses are available in many states; however, some states continue to offer no credentials higher than a substance abuse certification for substance abuse counselors. Requirements for a license or certification are basically the same, although substance abuse counselors can only practice independently in states that offer licenses for such practices. Counselors do not and will not prescribe medicine or provide medical or psychological therapy.

Substance abuse counselors are often supervised by doctors, psychologists, or social workers. Some substance abuse counselors work in halfway houses, where addicts live while they are under treatment. Counselors may also work in outpatient clinics where people come in on a regular basis for treatment. The employment outlook is expected to grow faster than the average for counselors through the year 2015, because addicts are increasingly being sent for therapy and rehabilitation rather than to jail. In the United States there were over eighty-seven thousand substance abuse counselors in 2010. The average substance abuse counselor salary can range from a starting salary of thirty-thousand dollars per year up to seventy-five thousand dollars a year for an experienced counselor.

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Mental Health Counselor Degree and Salary Information

Mental health counselors are employed in a variety of settings including private practice, hospitals, correctional institutions, clinics, schools and universities, drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers, halfway houses, and residential care facilities. They may work long, irregular hours including nights and weekends but earn a very high counselor salary. Individuals that specialize in the mental health counseling concentrate on promoting optimum health through various programs and services. They help individuals deal with suicidal impulses, addictions and substance abuse, stress management, job and career concerns, marital problems, educational decisions, and issues associated with aging. Mental health counselor’s jobs also include being responsible for maintaining records of tests and counseling services, and making sure that all records are kept confidential. They frequently conduct research and report their findings in professional and trade journals.

Individuals interested in counseling must first obtain a bachelor’s degree or counselor degree in counseling, psychology, education, sociology, or social work. Employment opportunities for mental health counselors are expected to grow faster than the average for all other occupations through the year 2014. The average mental health counselor salary is thirty-five thousand dollars and can go as high as seventy-thousand dollars per year for experienced counselors. The demand for mental health professionals will continue to increase due to the increasing availability of federal funds to construct and improve statewide mental health networks. It will be the counselor jobs to eliminate or improve these issues that their clients are dealing with in order to assist them with regaining their quality of life. Pennsylvania has the highest number of mental health counselors with a higher mental health counselor salary.You can also expect to see a large number of available counselor jobs in Chicago, Illinois and Baltimore, Maryland. Atlanta, Boston and Georgia provide good runners up in terms of job availability as well.

The education requirement for a license as a mental health counselor can only be met through completion of graduate level courses at an acceptable degree granting institution and receiving a counselor degree. Training in an institute or by a registered individual does not meet the education requirement for a license even if the training is accredited by a private organization. A degree in school counseling, school psychology, social work or a related field does not meet the education requirements. Candidates for a license must have a master’s degree in this career field or another acceptable area of specialization. If you would like to earn a counselor salary the candidate must have two years of supervised master’s clinical experience and must pass the examination.

An applicant with a counselor degree in another field must be individually evaluated to determine what additional graduate coursework, including supervised internship/practicum, must be completed to constitute an equivalent degree. A sixty credit master’s degree in mental health, or psychology is the minimal entry level, you must apply for a license and have your education approved to be eligible for a limited permit. Most counselors work in private practice, hospitals, counseling centers, partial hospitalization programs, group practices, corporations, and government agencies. Surroundings are generally comfortable and pleasant.

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Genetic Counselor Salary Requirements

Genetic counselors work as members of a team providing information and support to families who have members with genetic disorders who may be at risk for a variety of inherited conditions. They identify families at risk, investigate the problem present in the family, interpret information about the disorder, analyze inheritance patterns and risks of recurrence, and review available options with the family. Counselors have experience in the areas of medical genetics and counseling. Most enter the field from a variety of disciplines, including biology, genetics, nursing, psychology, public health, and social work. In order for an individual to gain a fantastic counselor salary a counselors will be required spend a great deal of time consulting with their patients. They go in depth with understanding the family history of each patient. They must have patience while they thoroughly record the medical history of each patient, and spend time evaluating the data.

They work with patients through the process, and help them with more difficult aspects and findings. Those interested in the genetic counselor career field should have no problem finding a job, due to good potential for growth, especially for those already involved in this field. They have a laboratory as part of their genetic counselor job responsibilities, or they spend all day in one. If they work with patients directly, they have an office and a laboratory where they perform research and diagnose genetic problems. A counselor can help people understand and adapt to the medical, psychological and familial implications of genetic contributions to disease. The average annual genetic counselor salary is fifty-nine thousand dollars a year. There is a wide variance based on experience, employer, and location of the counselor. The experienced genetic counselor salary can range between fifty-five dollars per year up to sixty-seven thousand dollars annually.

Counselors act as liaisons between doctors and patients. Certification currently is not required in order for one to be a practicing genetic counselor, though the majority of counselors practicing today are certified and have a counselor degree. Licenses are becoming available in a growing number of states and often are dependent on board certification. Because expert and private handling of genetic recurrence information is essential, practitioners generally are expected to seek certification. Currently, all graduates are expected to achieve certification within three or four years after graduation or further training will be required. Counselors also provide supportive counseling to families, serve as patient advocates and refer individuals and families to community or state support services. They serve as educators and resource people for other professions and for the general public. These counselors also have the highest counselor salary in this field.

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College Counselor’s Earn a High Counselor Salary

A college counselor helps students with nearly every aspect of getting into college. From recommending the best colleges for the individual student, to completing applications and financial aid forms, even counseling the students on their academic strengths and weaknesses or career choices, a counselor wears many hats. A counselor may be employed by one college to specifically guide students through that school’s admissions process or they may be employed by high schools or hired by students or parents to offer guidance and advice. College counselor jobs uses a variety of methods to help students choose career paths. This may include administering career aptitude tests, scoring the tests, and sharing the results with students in a positive and supportive manner.

A good counselor salary is earned when counselors pilots projects such as work experience projects or internships with various businesses in the community. These programs provide a great opportunity for students to actually work in the field they are interested in prior to committing to all the education and training needed. A counselor at a small college works with students to help them decide based on their strengths and experience what are the best and most appropriate career choices. The counselor also provides information on training and education requirements for specific careers, as well as colleges, universities or other facilities that offer the training both in local areas, out of state educational facilities or even internationally. In a college counselor career you may also teach classes at the college to help students explore various traditional and non-traditional career options.

Sometimes the counselor may have to work with students with special needs to help them find a career choice that will meet their needs and is something of interest. The college counselor also advises students on credit transfers in and out of the facility and the possible issues or benefits to staying at the current college or transferring to other training centers to complete their educations. A counselor must possess excellent knowledge of training programs, transfer policies and market trends is important for a counselor as well as a counselor degree. Networking and establishing working relationships with professionals in the community is also important. Strong computer and communication skills as well as an outgoing personality are valuable assets to a counselor

A college counselor salary depends on a willingness to work long and irregular hours might be important for a successful career in counseling, these professionals also need a strong desire to help others. A bachelor’s degree is typically necessary for a career as a college counselor, and counseling courses should be part of the equation whether the degree itself is in education, communication, psychology or a related field. A college counselor salary may vary by state as well as the knowledge and skills of the individual. The average college counselor salary starts at forty-one thousand dollars per year, on up to seventy-five thousand dollars per year for an experienced counselor with years of experience.

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