Become a School Counselor with an MS in School Counseling
| 8 Min Read
Counselors play an essential role in schools of all sizes and across grade levels. These professionally certified experts are in high demand as the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommends a 250:1 ratio of students to school counselors, but the national average was 385:1 for the 2022–2023 school year.1 In addition,17% of high schools – in total, serving about 645,000 students – currently do not have a school counselor on staff.1
In this career path, you can positively impact young learners and help them thrive academically, personally, and socially. Learn more about this profession and how to become a school counselor in Indiana.
What Does a School Counselor Do?
According to the ASCA role statement, school counselors “design and deliver school counseling programs that improve student outcomes. They lead, advocate and collaborate to promote equity and access for all students by connecting their school counseling program to the school’s academic mission and school improvement plan.”2
School counselors also help foster a culture of success for all students while working with them to develop skills related to collaboration, cooperation, perseverance, time management, self-direction, and more.2
Other job responsibilities for school counselors frequently include2:
- Providing mental health support and counseling to students on a short-term basis
- Offering referrals for long-term support if needed
- Collaborating with families, teachers, and administrators to ensure student success
- Providing academic guidance and achievement strategies
- Helping students with college and career preparation
- Promoting equity and access for all students
- Designing and delivering effective school counseling programs
School counselors work in both public and private school settings. In Indiana, they are licensed for pre-K through high school. In most cases, school counselors will have a private office to assist students individually or in small groups, but they also frequently visit classrooms to deliver large group lessons.
How School Counselors Help Students
The approaches school counselors use in their work with students depend on age.3 Typical services are outlined by grade level below.
- Pre-K and elementary school counselors primarily focus on developing academic and social skills. They might also help students meet developmental milestones and identify any special needs.
- Middle school counselors typically support students in all developmental areas and help those young adolescents navigate the increased academic and social pressures associated with that time of life while also helping them prepare for new experiences in high school.
- High school counselors continue supporting students with social-emotional needs but more frequently focus on supporting academic success and planning for postsecondary studies or entering the workforce or military after graduation. This could involve helping students choose classes, providing information about college admissions and financial aid, and assisting with the job search.
Guidance Counselor vs. School Counselor
Traditionally, the title “guidance counselor” has been used for counselors who worked in schools. While the term may still be encountered today, the scope of the role has grown to encompass a broad range of services and leadership responsibilities over time, and as such, ASCA called for the title to be changed to “school counselor” in 1990. This title is far more common in the present day.4 Today, school counseling is a data-driven profession with measurable impacts on students. Modern school counselors, who must be licensed and receive special training in the areas above, play a direct role in improving schools and districts while developing and managing comprehensive counseling programs.5
How to Become a School Counselor
To begin your career as a school counselor in Indiana, you must first meet educational and testing criteria. Butler University’s online Master of Science in School Counseling is designed to provide content required for licensure in Indiana. The program may meet licensing requirements for other states, either directly or through reciprocity. Contact the licensing board in your home state to learn more about specific requirements.
Education and Licensing for Indiana School Counselors
Those who hold Indiana school counselor licensure are eligible to work with students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12.6 Indiana school counseling licensure is tiered based on years of experience and professional development.7 The Initial Practitioner License is valid for two years and is the first license beginning school counselors receive after meeting requirements. After two years, counselors can convert initial licensure to a Proficient Practitioner License by completing the Indiana Mentor and Assessment Program or a Professional Growth Plan. This license is renewable every five years.
Applicants for school counselor licensure must also complete the Praxis School Counselor content area test. This test, which aligns with ASCA School Counselor Professional Standards & Competencies, covers the knowledge and skills required for professional practice as a school counselor, including8:
- Direct and indirect student services
- Ethical principles
- Human development
- Interventions
- Research-based counseling practices
- Role of the school counselor
Skills for Success in School Counseling
In addition to education and testing requirements, emotional intelligence and other “soft” skills are essential for school counselors in their work with students and their role as leaders alongside faculty, staff, and administrators. Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand your own emotions and the emotions of others.9 It involves:
- Emotional awareness: Being able to identify one’s own emotions
- Emotional management: Regulating your emotions and helping others regulate theirs
- Social awareness: Picking up on social cues and responding accordingly
- Relationship management: Using emotional awareness, emotional management, and social awareness to navigate interpersonal interactions
Other valuable skills for school counselors include:
- Communication: Effective communication skills help counselors connect with students and relay challenges to their families.
- Empathy: The ability to understand and relate to student perspectives ensures counselors develop effective counseling programs and individual support plans.
- Observation: Observation skills are critical for evaluating students and identifying potential opportunities for guidance and support.
- Problem Solving: It’s important for school counselors to model problem-solving skills when helping students handle conflict and navigate personal or academic issues.
Because so much of the work school counselors do involves interacting with others and building meaningful relationships with students, “soft skills” like these are necessary to achieve professional success. Developing practical skills alongside the theoretical knowledge you gain in your MS in School Counseling program can help open doors to a rewarding career in school counseling.
School Counseling Career Outlook
Job growth is on the rise for those entering the school counseling field. Employment is projected to increase 4 percent – as fast as the national average for all occupations – from 2023 through 2033. During the same period, more than 29,000 openings for school counselor jobs are projected each year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that schools are expected to hire more counselors in response to students’ developmental, academic, and career-planning needs.10
While school counselor salary depends on your specific location, the median annual wage was $73,520 in May 2023 for school counseling professionals working in public elementary and secondary schools. Those working in private schools earned a median wage of $60,700 per year.10
Make an Impact as a School Counselor
No matter where you work, pursuing a career in school counseling gives you the opportunity to improve students’ lives and help them grow academically and personally.
The online Master of Science in School Counseling program from Butler University features a curriculum covering essential topics like human development, diversity, mental health counseling knowledge and skills, and the impacts of trauma. You’ll learn to use evidence-based practices while completing 700 practicum and internship hours and preparing for pre-K–12 school counselor licensure.
Our program meets state and national standards, ensuring you graduate ready to begin your career. The MS in Counseling also includes a dual licensure option in mental health counseling through a combination of electives and just one additional course. You can complete your program in three years or less while learning from subject matter experts who are nationally recognized for their work in the counseling field.
Learn more about how a Butler degree can help you excel as a licensed school counselor in Indiana and beyond.
Sources
- American School Counselor Association. School Counselor Roles and Ratios. Retrieved Dec. 2024, from https://www.schoolcounselor.org/about-school-counseling/school-counselor-roles-ratios.
- American School Counselor Association. The Role of the School Counselor. Retrieved Dec. 2024, from https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/ee8b2e1b-d021-4575-982c-c84402cb2cd2/Role-Statement.pdf.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook. What School and Career Counselors and Advisors Do. Retrieved Dec. 2024, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/school-and-career-counselors.htm#tab-2.
- American School Counselor Association. Guidance Counselors or School Counselors: How the Name of the Profession Influences Perceptions of Competence. Retrieved Dec. 2024, from https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/5053e805-2fe6-4baa-9e74-543cd123d2b2/Title-Matters-Infographic.pdf.
- American School Counselor Association. Guidance Counselor vs. School Counselor. Retrieved Dec. 2024, from https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/c8d97962-905f-4a33-958b-744a770d71c6/Guidance-Counselor-vs-School-Counselor.pdf.
- Indiana Department of Education. Educator Licensing: School Services Employees. Retrieved Dec. 2024, from https://www.in.gov/doe/educators/educator-licensing/school-services-employee/.
- Indiana Department of Education. Convert Initial Practitioner to Practitioner License. Retrieved Dec. 2024, from https://www.in.gov/doe/educators/educator-licensing/convert-initial-practitioner-to-practitioner-license/.
- ETS Praxis. Test: School Counselor (5422). Retrieved Dec. 2024, from https://praxis.ets.org/test/5422.html.
- American School Counselor Association. Newsletters. Jan. 2023. Sharpen Your Influence. Retrieved Dec. 2024, from https://www.schoolcounselor.org/Newsletters/January-2023/Sharpen-Your-Influence,-Part-1-Skills-and-Styles.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook. School and Career Counselors. Retrieved Dec. 2024, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/school-and-career-counselors.htm.
