Becoming a School Counselor via Online Education?
At the very least, online education can help you lay a foundation and/or open up alternate career paths.
Walden University, one of the highest ranking online
schools,
is a US school (accredited) offering school counseling courses to train individuals
to become top-notch
school counselors,
childhood educators,
college counselors,
health information specialists,
counselors,
social workers, etc.
Currently, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics there are 30,900 people employed as
counselors alone in America, and their average annual salary is
$44,400.
Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists make on average $72,310
per year and there are about 98,330
of them employed today.
Colleges and universities like Walden University that provide online education are successfully launching workers into
this
field.
Typical Work Locations for a School Counselor
- elementary school
- middle school
- university
- psychiatrist's office
- psychologist's office
- pain management clinic
- support group
- grief management office
- hospital
- hospice facility
Potential Advantages and Benefits of Working as a School Counselor
- make a difference in a child's life
- meet a new challenge everyday
- eat school lunch
- have the summer off
- experience self satisfaction
- have a secure job
- have a good salary and benefits package
- have an office
- have a monday through friday job
- interact with parents
Potential Drawbacks
- deal with many stressful situations
- deliver unpleasant news to students
- deliver unpleasant news to parents
- sometimes have to deal with budget cuts
- handle many tasks simultaneously
- counsel students who have family problems
- counsel students who have behavioral issues
- work long hours for relatively little pay
- mediate between students and teachers
- mediate between students and their parents
Related Professions to Consider
- Psychologist
- Medical Social Worker (Home Health)
- Health Professions Admissions Counselor
- Part-time School Adjustment Counselor
- Overnight Residential Counselor
- Residential Counselor
- HIV Testing Counselor
- Mental Health Technician
- Admissions Counselor
- Case Manager
Possible Interview Questions When Applying to be a School Counselor
- What would your previous boss say about your work performance?
- Tell me about a time you know you made a difference in a students life?
- How do you hope to improve the field of counseling?
- Have you ever had to discipline a student and how was the discipline received?
- Tell me about a time that you were encouraged by a peer?
- How computer literate are you?
- How long have you been a School Counselor?
- Can you tell me about the progress that you have seen in a student?
- Tell us why you want to work in education?
- How did you handle your most challenging experience in your previous job?
Common Collaborating Professions
- psychologist
- early childhood educator
- principal
- teacher
- professor
- college adviser
- school administrator
- vice principal
- school nurse
- school superintendent
School Counselor Training books
School Counselor (More) Popular books
Potential Companies to Work For
Common College Majors
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Elementary Education
- Social Work
- Secondary Education
- Education
- Human Services
- Anthropology
- Child Development
- Family and Human Services
School Counselor Salary Information
Category: Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists
| Total # Employed in the US |
98,330 |
| Average Hourly Wage: |
$34.77/hr |
| Hourly Wage Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $18.88 |
$24.14 |
$31.75 |
$41.0 |
$52.63 |
|
| Average Yearly Salary |
$72,310 |
| Yearly Salary Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $39,270 |
$50,210 |
$66,040 |
$85,270 |
$109,470 |
|
| Employment Demographics |
| % OF WORKERS WITH |
| < High School Diploma |
High School Diploma |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor Degree |
Master Degree |
Doctoral Degree |
| 0.2% |
0.2% |
0.4% |
0.3% |
4.2% |
43.2% |
51.5% |
|
Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
| STATE | Average Hourly Wage | Average Annual Salary |
|---|
| North Dakota |
$44.41/hr
|
$92,380
|
| Connecticut |
$43.33/hr
|
$90,130
|
| Colorado |
$40.68/hr
|
$84,600
|
| South Carolina |
$38.69/hr
|
$80,470
|
| Virginia |
$38.28/hr
|
$79,630
|
| Oklahoma |
$38.21/hr
|
$79,480
|
| District of Columbia |
$37.13/hr
|
$77,230
|
| Montana |
$37.05/hr
|
$77,060
|
| Alabama |
$36.78/hr
|
$76,500
|
| Alaska |
$36.77/hr
|
$76,480
|
| Delaware |
$35.94/hr
|
$74,750
|
| Massachusetts |
$35.61/hr
|
$74,070
|
| Missouri |
$35.54/hr
|
$73,930
|
| Kansas |
$35.26/hr
|
$73,340
|
| Michigan |
$34.63/hr
|
$72,030
|
| Mississippi |
$34.28/hr
|
$71,310
|
| New York |
$34.26/hr
|
$71,260
|
| West Virginia |
$34.21/hr
|
$71,160
|
| Indiana |
$33.95/hr
|
$70,630
|
| California |
$33.64/hr
|
$69,980
|
| Puerto Rico |
$33.05/hr
|
$68,750
|
| Idaho |
$32.34/hr
|
$67,270
|
| Florida |
$32.33/hr
|
$67,240
|
| Hawaii |
$32.24/hr
|
$67,050
|
| Utah |
$32.23/hr
|
$67,030
|
| Wisconsin |
$31.26/hr
|
$65,020
|
| Oregon |
$31.23/hr
|
$64,950
|
| North Carolina |
$31/hr
|
$64,480
|
| Nebraska |
$31/hr
|
$64,480
|
| Tennessee |
$30.96/hr
|
$64,390
|
| Guam |
$30.4/hr
|
$63,220
|
| Iowa |
$30.33/hr
|
$63,090
|
| Kentucky |
$30.21/hr
|
$62,830
|
| Washington |
$30.11/hr
|
$62,620
|
| Louisiana |
$29.95/hr
|
$62,300
|
| Ohio |
$29.75/hr
|
$61,880
|
| Arkansas |
$29.72/hr
|
$61,820
|
| New Hampshire |
$28.87/hr
|
$60,050
|
| Wyoming |
$28.65/hr
|
$59,590
|
| Maine |
$27.95/hr
|
$58,150
|
| New Mexico |
$26.86/hr
|
$55,870
|
| Maryland |
$26.43/hr
|
$54,970
|
| Pennsylvania |
$26.16/hr
|
$54,420
|
| South Dakota |
$26.08/hr
|
$54,250
|
| New Jersey |
$22.84/hr
|
$47,500
|
| Nevada |
$21.64/hr
|
$45,000
|
Category: Educational, vocational, and school counselors
| Total # Employed in the US |
251,050 |
| Average Hourly Wage: |
$26.46/hr |
| Hourly Wage Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $14.97 |
$19.35 |
$25.27 |
$32.29 |
$40.42 |
|
| Average Yearly Salary |
$55,030 |
| Yearly Salary Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $31,140 |
$40,260 |
$52,550 |
$67,160 |
$84,080 |
|
| Employment Demographics |
| % OF WORKERS WITH |
| < High School Diploma |
High School Diploma |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor Degree |
Master Degree |
Doctoral Degree |
| 1.3% |
7.3% |
10.5% |
5.6% |
25.0% |
45.9% |
4.4% |
|
Educational, vocational, and school counselors — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
| STATE | Average Hourly Wage | Average Annual Salary |
|---|
| North Dakota |
$34.42/hr
|
$71,600
|
| Alaska |
$30.63/hr
|
$63,720
|
| Mississippi |
$30.56/hr
|
$63,560
|
| Virginia |
$29.99/hr
|
$62,370
|
| Kansas |
$29.34/hr
|
$61,020
|
| Oklahoma |
$29.33/hr
|
$61,020
|
| Colorado |
$29.28/hr
|
$60,910
|
| Delaware |
$28.16/hr
|
$58,580
|
| South Carolina |
$27.53/hr
|
$57,260
|
| Missouri |
$27/hr
|
$56,160
|
| Maryland |
$26.93/hr
|
$56,020
|
| Idaho |
$26.52/hr
|
$55,150
|
| New York |
$26.4/hr
|
$54,920
|
| Ohio |
$26.28/hr
|
$54,670
|
| District of Columbia |
$26.16/hr
|
$54,420
|
| Kentucky |
$26.15/hr
|
$54,400
|
| Wyoming |
$26.12/hr
|
$54,330
|
| Indiana |
$26.04/hr
|
$54,170
|
| Hawaii |
$26.03/hr
|
$54,150
|
| Montana |
$25.76/hr
|
$53,580
|
| Utah |
$25.47/hr
|
$52,990
|
| Alabama |
$25.08/hr
|
$52,160
|
| Puerto Rico |
$24.94/hr
|
$51,880
|
| Florida |
$24.77/hr
|
$51,520
|
| California |
$24.62/hr
|
$51,210
|
| North Carolina |
$24.32/hr
|
$50,590
|
| Tennessee |
$24.28/hr
|
$50,500
|
| Massachusetts |
$24.25/hr
|
$50,430
|
| New Mexico |
$24.1/hr
|
$50,120
|
| Maine |
$23.61/hr
|
$49,100
|
| Nevada |
$23.47/hr
|
$48,830
|
| Connecticut |
$23.29/hr
|
$48,430
|
| Washington |
$23.14/hr
|
$48,140
|
| Nebraska |
$22.95/hr
|
$47,740
|
| Guam |
$22.91/hr
|
$47,650
|
| Michigan |
$22.66/hr
|
$47,120
|
| Oregon |
$22.51/hr
|
$46,830
|
| New Hampshire |
$22.48/hr
|
$46,750
|
| Pennsylvania |
$22.34/hr
|
$46,470
|
| Iowa |
$21.8/hr
|
$45,350
|
| Arkansas |
$21.73/hr
|
$45,190
|
| Wisconsin |
$21.34/hr
|
$44,380
|
| Louisiana |
$21.31/hr
|
$44,320
|
| New Jersey |
$20.78/hr
|
$43,220
|
| South Dakota |
$20.52/hr
|
$42,690
|
| West Virginia |
$18.67/hr
|
$38,840
|
Category: Mental health counselors
| Total # Employed in the US |
106,920 |
| Average Hourly Wage: |
$20.05/hr |
| Hourly Wage Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $11.65 |
$14.38 |
$18.28 |
$24.11 |
$31.06 |
|
| Average Yearly Salary |
$41,710 |
| Yearly Salary Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $24,230 |
$29,920 |
$38,010 |
$50,140 |
$64,610 |
|
| Employment Demographics |
| % OF WORKERS WITH |
| < High School Diploma |
High School Diploma |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor Degree |
Master Degree |
Doctoral Degree |
| 1.3% |
7.3% |
10.5% |
5.6% |
25.0% |
45.9% |
4.4% |
|
Mental health counselors — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
| STATE | Average Hourly Wage | Average Annual Salary |
|---|
| Michigan |
$26.51/hr
|
$55,150
|
| Alaska |
$25.98/hr
|
$54,030
|
| New York |
$25.37/hr
|
$52,770
|
| Colorado |
$24.96/hr
|
$51,910
|
| Tennessee |
$23.79/hr
|
$49,490
|
| Iowa |
$23.59/hr
|
$49,060
|
| Florida |
$23.29/hr
|
$48,440
|
| California |
$22.75/hr
|
$47,330
|
| District of Columbia |
$22.7/hr
|
$47,220
|
| Montana |
$22.41/hr
|
$46,620
|
| Ohio |
$22.35/hr
|
$46,490
|
| Guam |
$22.35/hr
|
$46,490
|
| North Dakota |
$21.99/hr
|
$45,750
|
| South Carolina |
$20.99/hr
|
$43,650
|
| Kentucky |
$20.88/hr
|
$43,420
|
| Missouri |
$20.62/hr
|
$42,890
|
| New Mexico |
$20.53/hr
|
$42,700
|
| Arkansas |
$20.14/hr
|
$41,890
|
| South Dakota |
$20.13/hr
|
$41,880
|
| Idaho |
$20.02/hr
|
$41,640
|
| Nebraska |
$19.73/hr
|
$41,050
|
| Delaware |
$19.67/hr
|
$40,920
|
| Mississippi |
$19.63/hr
|
$40,840
|
| Connecticut |
$19.48/hr
|
$40,530
|
| Hawaii |
$19.46/hr
|
$40,480
|
| Oregon |
$19.38/hr
|
$40,310
|
| Washington |
$19.38/hr
|
$40,310
|
| Kansas |
$19.27/hr
|
$40,080
|
| Maine |
$19.16/hr
|
$39,850
|
| Indiana |
$19.13/hr
|
$39,790
|
| Nevada |
$18.93/hr
|
$39,370
|
| West Virginia |
$18.93/hr
|
$39,360
|
| Wyoming |
$18.56/hr
|
$38,610
|
| Puerto Rico |
$18.51/hr
|
$38,500
|
| North Carolina |
$18.47/hr
|
$38,420
|
| Alabama |
$18.19/hr
|
$37,830
|
| Utah |
$18.14/hr
|
$37,740
|
| Maryland |
$18.04/hr
|
$37,520
|
| Oklahoma |
$17.9/hr
|
$37,240
|
| Louisiana |
$16.84/hr
|
$35,020
|
| New Hampshire |
$16.28/hr
|
$33,870
|
| Virginia |
$15.5/hr
|
$32,240
|
| Wisconsin |
$14.79/hr
|
$30,770
|
| Massachusetts |
$14.77/hr
|
$30,720
|
| New Jersey |
$14.42/hr
|
$29,980
|
