School Counseling Jobs and Career Resources
School counselors provide students with the support and resources they need to help them succeed in order to enhance their academic, social/emotional and career development. Opportunities in this rewarding profession are on the rise: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that career and school counselor jobs will increase at a faster-than-average rate of 8 percent by 2028.1
The Online Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Counseling with a concentration in School Counseling prepares you for an impactful future in one of these roles. Learn more about the many ways in which a CACREP-accredited counseling master’s degree from William & Mary can train you to make a real difference as a school counselor.
Read About School Counseling Salaries
Salary throughout your school counselor career can vary with licensure status, place of work and other factors. Consult our blog post for more information about potential salary outcomes for school counselors.
School Counseling Roles
School counselors guide students toward their personal and educational development. They collaborate with parents on their child’s progress with 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.
School counselors can work in a variety of academic or professional roles and settings, including:3
- Elementary and secondary schools
- Colleges, universities and professional schools
- Junior colleges
- Vocational rehabilitation services
- Individual and family services
- Educational support services
- Technical and trade schools
A school counseling master’s degree can also prepare you for a variety of roles outside traditional school counseling settings. These include:
- Career counselor: Perform mock interviews, review resumes and portfolios, and connect students or professionals to potential internship and job opportunities
- Counselor educator: Teach aspiring counselors in junior college or four-year institutions; many professorial positions require a Ph.D. in counseling, but some smaller institutions may offer academic positions to those with a master’s degree in counseling and some years of experience
- Researcher: Counselors are typically perceptive individuals who possess impeccable verbal and written communication skills, which can help lead to research roles interviewing subjects one on one, conducting focus groups, drafting clear reports and more
- Writer: With a master’s degree in counseling and years of experience on the job, you are most likely a subject matter expert with knowledge to share who could contribute articles for magazines and blogs such as Counseling Today or Psychology Today
School Counseling Career Resources
School counseling master’s degree students 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) School Counselor Connection: Provides professional support, licensure requirement information, tips for discussing emerging topics in your counseling practice 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.
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1. Retrieved on November 13, 2019, from www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/school-and-career-counselors.htm
2. Retrieved on November 13, 2019, from education.wm.edu/academics/space/documents/counseling-graduate-survey2016.pdf
3. Retrieved on November 13, 2019, from www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes211012.htm