Job description template
School Counselor Job Description Template
A copy-ready school counselor job description with responsibilities, qualifications, skills and pay guidance: customize it for your company in minutes.
Copy the template below, replace the bracketed fields and tailor duties to your workplace. For pay, national BLS data shows school counselors earn a median of $64,330 ($30.93/hour); the middle 50% earn $51,270–$82,870.
Job title
School Counselor
Job summary
[Company name] is seeking a dependable school counselor to join our team in [city, state]. In this role, you will meet with students individually and in groups, help with academic and graduation planning and support our team’s commitment to safety, quality and service.
Responsibilities
- Meet with students individually and in groups
- Help with academic and graduation planning
- Guide college and career planning
- Support social and emotional needs
- Respond to crises
- Teach classroom guidance lessons
- Collaborate with families, teachers and outside agencies
- Follow company policies, safety procedures and applicable regulations
Required qualifications
- Master's degree
- Current license or certification as required by [state]
- Working knowledge of counseling techniques and academic planning
- Empathy and listening
- [Add role-specific requirements, such as driver’s license or ability to pass a background check, if job-related]
Preferred qualifications
- State school counselor certification
- National Certified Counselor (NCC)
- Global Career Development Facilitator
- Experience with student information systems
Skills
- College and career guidance
- Crisis intervention
- Group facilitation
- Data use
- Confidentiality
- Communication
Work environment and schedule
Counselors work in schools, colleges and career centers, in offices and classrooms. School counselors work school-year schedules, sometimes with summer weeks; college advisors often work year-round.
Pay and benefits
$[min]–$[max] per [hour/year], depending on experience. [List benefits: health insurance, paid time off, retirement plan, training and certification support.]
Equal opportunity
[Company name] is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law, and we provide reasonable accommodations upon request.
Tips for a school counselor job posting that attracts applicants
- Use the title candidates search for. “School Counselor” is the clearest; alternates include Guidance Counselor, Career Counselor, College Counselor.
- Show the pay range. Postings with pay get more qualified applicants, and a growing number of states and cities require pay ranges in job postings.
- Separate must-haves from nice-to-haves. Long requirement lists discourage qualified candidates, especially career changers.
- Describe a real day. Borrow from our day in the life of a school counselor so applicants self-select accurately.
- Mention training. Highlighting structured onboarding: such as School Counselor training: widens your applicant pool.
Next steps
Screen and interview with our School Counselor hiring guide, then onboard with the 30-60-90 day plan.