Jobs Similar to Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors
Also called: Educational and Career Counselors
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are School Psychologists, Child, Family, and School Social Workers and Rehabilitation Counselors.
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors: $64,330 median pay · usual preparation: Graduate degree.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
| # | Career | Similarity | Median pay (vs. Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors) | Usual preparation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | School Psychologists | 85% | $95,990+49% | Graduate degree |
| 2 | Child, Family, and School Social WorkersSame group | 85% | $59,550−7% | Bachelor's degree |
| 3 | Rehabilitation CounselorsSame group | 85% | $46,850−27% | Graduate degree |
| 4 | Social and Human Service AssistantsSame group | 84% | $45,930−29% | Bachelor's degree |
| 5 | Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social WorkersSame group | 83% | $60,280−6% | Graduate degree |
| 6 | Community Health WorkersSame group | 83% | $51,850−19% | Bachelor's degree |
| 7 | Instructional Coordinators | 83% | $77,440+20% | Graduate degree |
| 8 | Special Education Teachers, Secondary School | 83% | $74,260+15% | Bachelor's degree |
| 9 | Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | 82% | $100,580+56% | Graduate degree |
| 10 | Patient Representatives | 82% | $50,290Broader BLS group · not compared | Training or associate |
| 11 | Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment SpecialistsSame group | 82% | $66,270+3% | Bachelor's degree |
| 12 | Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors | 81% | $61,540−4% | Bachelor's degree |
| 13 | Healthcare Social WorkersSame group | 81% | $67,880+6% | Graduate degree |
| 14 | Special Education Teachers, Preschool | 81% | $64,830+1% | Bachelor's degree |
| 15 | Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 80% | $72,040+12% | Bachelor's degree |
| 16 | Credit Counselors | 80% | $52,230−19% | Bachelor's degree |
| 17 | Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary | 80% | $77,570+21% | Graduate degree |
| 18 | Marriage and Family TherapistsSame group | 80% | $66,940+4% | Graduate degree |
| 19 | Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 80% | $63,970−1% | Bachelor's degree |
| 20 | Training and Development Specialists | 80% | $69,280+8% | Bachelor's degree |
- 1School Psychologists
85% similar · $95,990 (+49%) · Graduate degree
- 2Child, Family, and School Social Workers
85% similar · $59,550 (−7%) · Bachelor's degree · Same group
- 3Rehabilitation Counselors
85% similar · $46,850 (−27%) · Graduate degree · Same group
- 4Social and Human Service Assistants
84% similar · $45,930 (−29%) · Bachelor's degree · Same group
- 5Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers
83% similar · $60,280 (−6%) · Graduate degree · Same group
- 6Community Health Workers
83% similar · $51,850 (−19%) · Bachelor's degree · Same group
- 7Instructional Coordinators
83% similar · $77,440 (+20%) · Graduate degree
- 8Special Education Teachers, Secondary School
83% similar · $74,260 (+15%) · Bachelor's degree
- 9Clinical and Counseling Psychologists
82% similar · $100,580 (+56%) · Graduate degree
- 10Patient Representatives
82% similar · $50,290 (broader group) · Training or associate
- 11Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists
82% similar · $66,270 (+3%) · Bachelor's degree · Same group
- 12Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors
81% similar · $61,540 (−4%) · Bachelor's degree
- 13Healthcare Social Workers
81% similar · $67,880 (+6%) · Graduate degree · Same group
- 14Special Education Teachers, Preschool
81% similar · $64,830 (+1%) · Bachelor's degree
- 15Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education
80% similar · $72,040 (+12%) · Bachelor's degree
- 16Credit Counselors
80% similar · $52,230 (−19%) · Bachelor's degree
- 17Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary
80% similar · $77,570 (+21%) · Graduate degree
- 18Marriage and Family Therapists
80% similar · $66,940 (+4%) · Graduate degree · Same group
- 19Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
80% similar · $63,970 (−1%) · Bachelor's degree
- 20Training and Development Specialists
80% similar · $69,280 (+8%) · Bachelor's degree
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that pay more
Only careers that usually need no more preparation than educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors.
- Clinical and Counseling Psychologists82% similar · $100,580 (+56%)
- School Psychologists85% similar · $95,990 (+49%)
- Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary80% similar · $77,570 (+21%)
- Instructional Coordinators83% similar · $77,440 (+20%)
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School83% similar · $74,260 (+15%)
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education80% similar · $72,040 (+12%)
Similar jobs that need less preparation
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers85% similar · Bachelor's degree
- Social and Human Service Assistants84% similar · Bachelor's degree
- Community Health Workers83% similar · Bachelor's degree
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School83% similar · Bachelor's degree
- Patient Representatives82% similar · Training or associate
- Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists82% similar · Bachelor's degree
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs for former educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors →
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
- Clergy (88)
- Instructional Coordinators (85)
- Training and Development Specialists (85)
- Directors, Religious Activities and Education (84)
- Social Work Teachers, Postsecondary (83)
- School Psychologists (81)
- Adult Basic Education, Adult Secondary Education, and English as a Second Language Instructors (80)
- Special Education Teachers, Preschool (80)
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School (80)
- Education Teachers, Postsecondary (79)
Questions about jobs like educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors
What jobs are most similar to educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are School Psychologists (85% similar), Child, Family, and School Social Workers (85% similar), Rehabilitation Counselors (85% similar), Social and Human Service Assistants (84% similar) and Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers (83% similar).
Which jobs like educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, Clinical and Counseling Psychologists ($100,580, +56%; usually a graduate degree), School Psychologists ($95,990, +49%; usually a graduate degree) and Social Work Teachers ($77,570, +21%; usually a graduate degree) have the highest BLS median pay compared with educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors ($64,330). Without more preparation than educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors usually need: Clinical and Counseling Psychologists, School Psychologists and Social Work Teachers.
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.