Best degree programs for Counselors, All Other, ranked by enrollment
7 college programs and 1,030 schools train Counselors, All Other. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $50,860 median wage, 28,580 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
7 college programs at 1,030 schools train counselors, all other, graduating 71,361 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Social Work. The job pays a median of $50,860 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About counselors, all other
All counselors not listed separately.
Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
7 degree programs that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 44.0701 | 56,891 | 79.7% | 786 | $37,264 | $26,140 |
| 2 | CIP 42.2803 | 12,264 | 17.2% | 277 | $33,805 | $27,000 |
| 3 | CIP 39.0701 | 1,283 | 1.8% | 105 | $32,226 | $26,000 |
| 4 | CIP 39.0799 | 594 | 0.8% | 57 | $32,226 | $26,000 |
| 5 | CIP 51.1506 | 217 | 0.3% | 18 | $37,335 | $22,861 |
| 6 | CIP 52.1006 | 93 | 0.1% | 9 | $49,084 | $26,536 |
| 7 | CIP 30.5301 | 19 | 0.0% | 2 | — | — |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liberty University Lynchburg, VA Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 2,225 | Counseling Psychology | 65% | $28,911 | 99% |
| 2 | Walden University Minneapolis, MN Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 1,740 | Social Work | — | — | — |
| 3 | University of Kentucky Lexington, KY Public · 2 feeder programs | 1,372 | Social Work | 71% | — | 93% |
| 4 | The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington, TX Public · 1 feeder programs | 895 | Social Work | 54% | — | 80% |
| 5 | Rutgers University - New Brunswick New Brunswick, NJ Public · 1 feeder programs | 765 | Social Work | 84% | — | 58% |
| 6 | Aurora University Aurora, IL Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 745 | Social Work | 60% | $18,431 | 81% |
| 7 | Grand Canyon University Phoenix, AZ Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 731 | Social Work | 43% | $21,535 | 79% |
| 8 | CUNY Hunter College New York, NY Public · 1 feeder programs | 643 | Social Work | 57% | — | 54% |
| 9 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 633 | Social Work | 96% | $15,315 | 4% |
| 10 | University of Denver Denver, CO Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 631 | Social Work | 76% | $29,726 | 78% |
| 11 | Fordham University Bronx, NY Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 584 | Social Work | 82% | $38,931 | 59% |
| 12 | Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OH Public · 1 feeder programs | 572 | Social Work | 88% | — | 61% |
| 13 | Indiana University - Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN Public · 1 feeder programs | 565 | Social Work | 54% | — | 76% |
| 14 | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI Public · 1 feeder programs | 507 | Social Work | 93% | — | 16% |
| 15 | University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 487 | Social Work | 92% | $26,873 | 10% |
| 16 | Simmons University Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 483 | Social Work | 72% | $24,848 | 70% |
| 17 | Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA Public · 3 feeder programs | 469 | Social Work | 63% | — | 93% |
| 18 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LA Public · 1 feeder programs | 456 | Social Work | 69% | — | 73% |
| 19 | Lamar University Beaumont, TX Public · 2 feeder programs | 452 | Counseling Psychology | 37% | — | 86% |
| 20 | California Baptist University Riverside, CA Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 430 | Social Work | 62% | $26,940 | 85% |
| 21 | Portland State University Portland, OR Public · 1 feeder programs | 427 | Social Work | 53% | — | 91% |
| 22 | The University of Tennessee - Knoxville Knoxville, TN Public · 2 feeder programs | 421 | Social Work | 74% | — | 42% |
| 23 | Yeshiva University New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 399 | Social Work | 83% | $39,696 | 56% |
| 24 | Adams State University Alamosa, CO Public · 1 feeder programs | 393 | Counseling Psychology | 39% | — | — |
| 25 | Indiana Wesleyan University - National & Global Marion, IN Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 387 | Social Work | 35% | $18,316 | — |
| 26 | New York University New York, NY Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 383 | Social Work | 88% | $29,023 | 9% |
| 27 | Wayne State University Detroit, MI Public · 2 feeder programs | 374 | Social Work | 58% | — | 81% |
| 28 | Troy University Troy, AL Public · 2 feeder programs | 366 | Social Work | 50% | — | 96% |
| 29 | California State University - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 365 | Social Work | 53% | — | 91% |
| 30 | University of Massachusetts Global Aliso Viejo, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 355 | Social Work | 43% | — | — |
| 31 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach, CA Public · 2 feeder programs | 347 | Social Work | 69% | — | 46% |
| 32 | Boston University Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 346 | Social Work | 89% | $21,956 | 11% |
| 33 | Loyola University Chicago Chicago, IL Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 344 | Social Work | 73% | $33,454 | 82% |
| 34 | University of Oklahoma - Norman Campus Norman, OK Public · 1 feeder programs | 338 | Social Work | 75% | — | 77% |
| 35 | University of the Cumberlands Williamsburg, KY Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 338 | Counseling Psychology | 50% | $11,672 | 99% |
| 36 | Boise State University Boise, ID Public · 1 feeder programs | 329 | Social Work | 60% | — | 87% |
| 37 | University of Central Florida Orlando, FL Public · 1 feeder programs | 321 | Social Work | 78% | — | 40% |
| 38 | University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh, PA Public · 1 feeder programs | 320 | Social Work | 85% | — | 58% |
| 39 | University of Nevada - Reno Reno, NV Public · 1 feeder programs | 317 | Social Work | 61% | — | 74% |
| 40 | Northwestern University Evanston, IL Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 312 | Counseling Psychology | 95% | $14,799 | 8% |
| 41 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs | 306 | Social Work | 68% | — | 90% |
| 42 | National University San Diego, CA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 303 | Counseling Psychology | 43% | $31,817 | — |
| 43 | Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NY Public · 1 feeder programs | 296 | Social Work | 76% | — | 49% |
| 44 | Metropolitan State University of Denver Denver, CO Public · 1 feeder programs | 293 | Social Work | 32% | — | 99% |
| 45 | San Jose State University San Jose, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 287 | Social Work | 69% | — | 85% |
| 46 | University of Maryland, Baltimore Baltimore, MD Public · 2 feeder programs | 287 | Social Work | — | — | — |
| 47 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion Scottsdale, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs | 283 | Social Work | 0% | — | 67% |
| 48 | University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT Public · 1 feeder programs | 283 | Social Work | 65% | — | 86% |
| 49 | Campbellsville University Campbellsville, KY Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 280 | Social Work | 42% | $18,824 | 80% |
| 50 | Spring Arbor University Spring Arbor, MI Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 276 | Social Work | 64% | $19,806 | 52% |
What counselors, all other earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $48,850 | 10,770 | 3.22× | 64 | 6,888 |
| New York | $58,500 | 470 | 0.26× | 38 | 5,356 |
| Texas | $54,450 | 2,550 | 0.99× | 72 | 5,025 |
| Illinois | $49,360 | 760 | 0.68× | 50 | 3,807 |
| Minnesota | $47,740 | 650 | 1.20× | 32 | 3,370 |
| Virginia | $76,450 | 470 | 0.62× | 18 | 3,356 |
| Kentucky | $40,230 | 70 | 0.18× | 19 | 3,160 |
| Pennsylvania | $59,160 | 1,330 | 1.19× | 62 | 2,919 |
| Michigan | $37,390 | 470 | 0.58× | 31 | 2,652 |
| Ohio | $45,840 | 330 | 0.33× | 63 | 2,534 |
| Massachusetts | $58,240 | 140 | 0.21× | 27 | 2,290 |
| Colorado | $66,680 | 370 | 0.70× | 15 | 2,113 |
| Florida | $45,880 | 1,230 | 0.67× | 22 | 1,943 |
| New Jersey | $73,360 | 810 | 1.02× | 28 | 1,927 |
| Arizona | $59,910 | 110 | 0.19× | 21 | 1,768 |
| North Carolina | $52,280 | — | — | 31 | 1,629 |
| Indiana | $45,360 | 70 | 0.12× | 29 | 1,498 |
| Tennessee | $51,900 | 740 | 1.23× | 24 | 1,184 |
| Alabama | $47,580 | 120 | 0.31× | 19 | 1,124 |
| Wisconsin | $71,390 | 440 | 0.82× | 21 | 1,121 |
| Missouri | $43,680 | 130 | 0.23× | 32 | 1,050 |
| Louisiana | $47,830 | 1,510 | 4.25× | 14 | 1,039 |
| Connecticut | $53,310 | 60 | 0.21× | 13 | 980 |
| Maryland | $46,840 | 1,750 | 3.44× | 13 | 934 |
| Georgia | $79,490 | 760 | 0.84× | 20 | 834 |
| Utah | $93,530 | 150 | 0.48× | 8 | 812 |
| Oregon | $78,750 | 120 | 0.33× | 12 | 689 |
| Washington | $69,530 | 120 | 0.19× | 13 | 655 |
| Iowa | $61,080 | 90 | 0.31× | 23 | 557 |
| Mississippi | $54,090 | 40 | 0.19× | 18 | 528 |
| Nevadamoderate | $45,440 | 280 | 0.97× | 3 | 504 |
| Arkansas | $49,310 | 110 | 0.47× | 15 | 489 |
| South Carolina | $55,140 | 60 | 0.15× | 10 | 401 |
| West Virginia | $44,810 | 220 | 1.70× | 10 | 375 |
| Hawaii | $65,470 | 70 | 0.61× | 6 | 307 |
| District of Columbia | $93,720 | 90 | 0.69× | 6 | 306 |
| Maine | $62,190 | 60 | 0.47× | 7 | 306 |
| Nebraska | $40,530 | — | — | 8 | 297 |
| Montana | $39,260 | 110 | 1.15× | 8 | 232 |
| North Dakota | $69,860 | 80 | 1.02× | 6 | 196 |
| New Hampshiremoderate | $47,770 | 100 | 0.82× | 3 | 139 |
| Delawarelimited | $48,990 | — | — | 2 | 117 |
| Vermontmoderate | $56,220 | 150 | 2.72× | 3 | 113 |
| Alaskamoderate | $45,060 | 70 | 1.21× | 3 | 94 |
Skills and tools
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
How to get in
How to become a Counselor, All Other
- Typical entry education
- Master's degree
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 8 majors mapped to Counselors, All Other7 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 30.5301Thanatology
- 39.0701Pastoral Studies/Counseling
- 39.0799Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries, Other
- 42.2803Counseling Psychology
- 44.0701Social Work
- 51.1506Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling
- 51.1510Infant/Toddler Mental Health Services(no graduates reported)
- 52.1006Executive/Career Coaching
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become a Counselor, All Other?+
Master's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Social Work, which awarded 56,891 degrees in 2024-25, 79.7% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Counselor, All Other?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 7 programs to this occupation. The largest are Social Work, Clinical, Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries, Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions, plus 2 more. Together they graduate about 71,361 people a year.
How much do counselors, all other earn?+
The median is $50,860 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $36,240 at the 10th percentile to $91,940 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for counselors, all other growing?+
BLS projects a +12.6% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, much faster than average, with roughly 7,400 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
1,030 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 7 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
Do you need training or experience beyond a degree?+
BLS lists 'None' for related work experience and 'None' for on-the-job training typically needed to reach competency.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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