Best colleges for Student Counseling and Personnel Services
Ranked by graduate earnings
Compare 451 U.S. colleges offering Student Counseling and Personnel Services by graduate earnings, cost, and outcomes. Federal data across 54 states.
Student Counseling and Personnel Services programs report median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $58,038 (College Scorecard, 2019), and map to CIP 13.11 and the Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors occupation (BLS SOC).
About Student Counseling and Personnel Services programs
The Student Counseling and Personnel Services program focuses on equipping students with the skills necessary to support and enhance student success in higher education. This program is ideal for individuals interested in becoming student affairs professionals who work to foster student growth and development outside the classroom. Students will learn to provide essential services that address educational, personal, and social challenges faced by students.
Learn more about Student Counseling and Personnel Services →
Core skills developed in this program include active listening, critical thinking, and effective communication. Students will gain knowledge in areas such as therapy and counseling, psychology, and educational training, preparing them to address a variety of student needs and challenges.
Top 1 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, predominant credential. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harvard University Cambridge, MA Private not-for-profit · Graduate degree Small program | $58,038 | 8 | 98% | $15,013 | — |
Specializations within Student Counseling and Personnel Services
3 of the 3 6-digit CIP codes under CIP 13.11 have U.S. graduates (NCES CIP 2020, IPEDS 2024–25). Each links to its own page, ranked by graduates.
- Counselor Education/CIP 13.1101
School Counseling and Guidance Services 12,724 graduates / yr431 institutions54 states - College Student Counseling and Personnel ServicesCIP 13.1102948 graduates / yr63 institutions29 states
- Student Counseling and Personnel ServicesCIP 13.1199407 graduates / yr24 institutions17 states
Offered across 54 states & territories
The same program, compared state by state. Pick a state for in-state earnings and institutions.
| State | Institutions | Median earnings | Top institution by earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 12 | $58,038 | Harvard University |
| Alabama | 11 | — | — |
| Alaskalimited | 1 | — | — |
| Arizona | 4 | — | — |
| Arkansas | 9 | — | — |
| California | 36 | — | — |
| Minnesota | 6 | — | — |
| Colorado | 4 | — | — |
| Connecticut | 8 | — | — |
| Delawarelimited | 1 | — | — |
| District of Columbia | 5 | — | — |
| Florida | 11 | — | — |
| Georgia | 11 | — | — |
| Hawaiilimited | 1 | — | — |
| Idaho | 3 | — | — |
| Illinois | 17 | — | — |
| Indiana | 10 | — | — |
| Iowa | 7 | — | — |
| Kansas | 8 | — | — |
| Kentucky | 10 | — | — |
| Louisiana | 9 | — | — |
| Mainelimited | 2 | — | — |
| Maryland | 6 | — | — |
| Michigan | 8 | — | — |
| Mississippi | 7 | — | — |
| Missouri | 13 | — | — |
| Montana | 4 | — | — |
| Nebraska | 7 | — | — |
| Nevada | 3 | — | — |
| New Hampshirelimited | 2 | — | — |
| New Jersey | 12 | — | — |
| New Mexico | 7 | — | — |
| New York | 27 | — | — |
| North Carolina | 14 | — | — |
| North Dakotalimited | 2 | — | — |
| Ohio | 15 | — | — |
| Oklahoma | 6 | — | — |
| Oregon | 5 | — | — |
| Pennsylvania | 24 | — | — |
| Rhode Islandlimited | 1 | — | — |
| South Carolina | 5 | — | — |
| South Dakotalimited | 2 | — | — |
| Tennessee | 13 | — | — |
| Texas | 31 | — | — |
| Utah | 4 | — | — |
| Vermontlimited | 2 | — | — |
| Virginia | 15 | — | — |
| Washington | 6 | — | — |
| West Virginia | 3 | — | — |
| Wisconsin | 11 | — | — |
| Wyominglimited | 1 | — | — |
| Guamlimited | 1 | — | — |
| Puerto Rico | 7 | — | — |
| U.S. Virgin Islandslimited | 1 | — | — |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 21-1012, Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Student Counseling and Personnel Services program can pursue careers in student affairs, counseling, and educational support. The job outlook for this field is about as fast as average, with an annual opening of approximately 31,000 positions and a median wage of $65,140. A typical education requirement for these roles is a Master's degree.
Top-paying metros
Related careers
CIP-to-SOC crosswalk for Student Counseling and Personnel Services
The SOC occupations NCES officially maps to CIP 13.11.
Under the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk, CIP 13.11 (Student Counseling and Personnel Services) maps to 2 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) occupations, the jobs the U.S. Department of Labor links to this field of study.
| SOC code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 21-1012 | Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisorsprimary |
| 39-9041 | Residential Advisors |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk.
Skills & knowledge in Student Counseling and Personnel Services programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this program most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
What graduates do on the job
- Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.
- Counsel students regarding educational issues, such as course and program selection, class scheduling and registration, school adjustment, truancy, study habits, and career planning.
- Provide crisis intervention to students when difficult situations occur at schools.
- Counsel individuals or groups to help them understand and overcome personal, social, or behavioral problems affecting their educational or vocational situations.
- Review transcripts to ensure that students meet graduation or college entrance requirements, and write letters of recommendation.
- Prepare students for later educational experiences by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities and to persevere with challenging tasks.
Common questions
What types of specializations are available?+
Specializations include Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services, College Student Counseling and Personnel Services, and Student Counseling and Personnel Services, Other.
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop skills such as active listening, critical thinking, and effective communication.
What is the job outlook for this field?+
The job outlook is about as fast as average, with approximately 31,000 annual openings.
What is the typical education required for careers in this field?+
A Master's degree is typically required for careers in Student Counseling and Personnel Services.
How much do Student Counseling and Personnel Services graduates earn?+
Student Counseling and Personnel Services graduates report median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $58,038, College Scorecard (2019); the Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors occupation pays about $71,430 on average nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
What is the CIP code for Student Counseling and Personnel Services?+
Student Counseling and Personnel Services maps to CIP 13.11 in the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), the U.S. Department of Education taxonomy used for College Scorecard Field of Study earnings and IPEDS completions.
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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