School Counseling Jobs and Career Resources
School counselors work to maximize student success, promoting access and equity for all. They provide students of all ages with the support and resources to enhance their academic, social/emotional and career development.
Good News for School Counselors
Opportunities in this rewarding profession are on the rise: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment for career and school counselors and advisors will increase at a rate of 4% between 2024 and 2034, with roughly 31,000 new hiring opportunities each year.1
William & Mary’s Online Master of Education (M.Ed.) program with a concentration in School Counseling prepares you for an impactful future in academic counseling jobs. With courses focused specifically on counseling school-aged children, including training in substance abuse prevention and intervention, this CACREP-accredited counseling master’s curriculum can position you to make an important, lasting difference in the lives of young people and their families.
Prepare to Serve Others as a Licensed Counselor
William & Mary's CACREP-accredited online counseling programs emphasize social justice and cultural responsiveness while preparing you for licensure. Study with attentive faculty mentorship through our flexible online format. Choose the specialized educational path that fits with your professional goals and learn to create positive transformation—one client at a time.
Download our guide to learn more about:
✓ The Online M.Ed. in Counseling program
✓ Paths to licensure
✓ The career outlook for counselors
✓ Faculty in the Online M.Ed. in Counseling program
✓ Admission requirements
✓ The online student experience
This will only take a moment.
Counselors’ Career Pathways in Education
School counselors guide students toward their personal and educational development. They collaborate with parents on children's’ progress, helping to create and shape students’ Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). They offer insight and instruction on how to overcome developmental or personal challenges, work with teachers and administrators to develop after-school programs and support groups, and create strategies that mitigate the risk and/or effects of bullying and other social problems.
At the same time, school counselors work in teams with teachers, administrators, principals, and assistant principals to support their school system. They are educators, advocates, diplomats, thinkers, strategists, communicators and multi-faceted team players.
In school-based mental health jobs, counselors can work in a variety of roles and settings, including:2
- Elementary and secondary schools
- Vocational rehabilitation services
- Individual and family services
- Educational support services
- Technical and trade schools
Read About School Counseling Salaries
Broaden your opportunities. Earn your degree at W&M.
The William & Mary Online M.Ed. in Counseling program with a concentration in School Counseling can also prepare you for a variety of leadership roles. Amrit D., M.Ed. '26 candidate and Director of Student Services and Wellness at Wakefield School in The Plains, VA, manages counseling administration at her independent school.
Student Support Services Careers: Need Means Opportunity
A 2022 survey of school counseling district directors found that there aren’t enough school counselors to fill available positions:
It’s difficult or very difficult to fill openings for mental health professionals in 40% of public schools.3
You can help make the difference.
Resources for Your Success
Master’s degree students studying school counseling at William & Mary can benefit from the following career development resources:
- Cohen Career Center: Offers one-on-one advising, core competency workshops, resume reviews and networking events, career fairs, resume development resources and more to current W&M students and alumni
- Counselor Education Program Bulletin Board: Keeps you up to date on upcoming training and networking events, program outcomes, and recent student accomplishments, and helps you identify opportunities to engage with peers and industry professionals
- American Counseling Association (ACA) Career Center: Provides career-related support, an online job board, guidance for creating cover letters and resumes, and other resources
- American School Counselor Association: Offers webinars, podcasts, career advice content and other professionalization resources for school counselors
Licensure for Your School Counseling Career
The Online M.Ed. in Counseling program is designed to prepare you to pursue counseling licensure upon graduation. Learn more about the licensure options available to you with a degree in school counseling.
Interested in Our Online Programs?
- Retrieved on November 21, 2025, from gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/school-and-career-counselors.htm
- Retrieved on November 21, 2025, from bls.gov/oes/current/oes211012.htm
- Retrieved on November 21, 2025, from schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/f73304ab-5ac5-4ba5-8342-826a3bc205a2/CIE-Employment-Shortages.pdf