How to Become a New Jersey School Counselor

If you live in New Jersey and wish to pursue a career in school counseling, great news: you’re in a state with great opportunities for guidance counselors, with strong salaries to match.

School counselors play a vital role in supporting New Jersey students facing issues of all types, from mental health challenges to academic struggles to emergency concerns involving housing and food safety.

Those who wish to pursue a career path helping young people to regain their footing and make the most of their lives can find engaging and deeply meaningful work in the guidance counselor profession.

So what do you need to be a school counselor in New Jersey? The process of pursuing guidance counselor schooling and certification isn’t too complicated, but it’s important to know every step at the outset of the process so you can plan accordingly.

Your specific path to guidance counseling certification will depend on your current level of education. Where are you on your quest to become a New Jersey School Counselor?

• I’m a High School Graduate…
• I have already earned a college degree…
• I’m a certified counselor from another state…

Explore the information below and learn how you can become a school counselor in New Jersey. Some of the information below may be subject to change. In order to make sure you have the most current information, please feel free to contact your school counseling education program advisor or contact the New Jersey Department of Education licensing department at (609) 292-2070.

I’m a High School Graduate…

If you’re a recent high school graduate who has not yet begun pursuing a bachelor’s degree, you have a ways to go before you can meet qualifications for guidance counselor certification. That said, there are excellent ways to begin laying the foundations of your guidance counselor schooling now so that you can hit the ground running after you finish your undergraduate education.

Below are recommended steps that should help you learn whether a career as a New Jersey school counselor is right for you. Also, request information from post-secondary schools offering degrees that will get you closer to being certified as a New Jersey school counselor.

Step One: Obtain a Bachelor’s Degree

In order to meet requirements to become a guidance counselor, you’ll ultimately need to hold a master’s degree. However, if you don’t yet hold a bachelor’s degree, you’ll need to start there in order to qualify for graduate programs.

You do not need to hold a bachelor’s degree in a subject related to school counseling in order to meet qualifications for guidance counselor degree programs at the masters level. However, degrees in related subjects, such as Psychology and Education, can help give you better grounding in the subjects that appeal to you, helping you determine if this is a path you’d like to pursue in the long term.

Step Two: Volunteer in Local Organizations

A great way to find out if you are interested in a social service type of career, like school counseling, is to find volunteering organizations who work with children or young adults. The following are links to organizations who can place you in volunteering positions across the state of New Jersey:

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mercer County
• New Jersey School District Directory Tool

Finally, you’ve found the information you’ve been looking for, so don’t quit! Get out there and volunteer or find work in a school. You will thank yourself later when you learn for sure whether a career as a New Jersey Educator is right for you.

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I have already earned a college degree…

If you already hold a bachelor’s degree in any subject, you’re ready to apply for master’s programs and pursue your school counseling career head-on. So what degree does a guidance counselor need to qualify for New Jersey credentials? The following are the steps necessary for earning your school counseling certification in New Jersey:

Step One: Obtain a Master’s Degree

There are several routes one can take to pursue their guidance counselor education, but all of them will require a master’s degree. You can fulfill educational requirements through one of the following avenues:

1. Earn a Master’s degree in School Counseling that meets all the standards of the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP).
2. You can also meet qualifications for guidance counselor schooling by enrolling in a degree program in another major that offers a specialization pathway in school counseling. These include degrees in Counseling Psychology or Educational Psychology, among others. When applying to your graduate programs, it’s critical to make sure they are designed to render you eligible for credentials. Or find school counseling programs in New Jersey here.
3. For those who already hold a master’s degree in an unrelated subject, it’s possible to enroll in certificate programs in School Counseling that will qualify you for credentials upon graduating.

Step Two: Apply for Your Certification

In New Jersey, one does not need to take a licensing exam in order to qualify for guidance counselor credentials. Completion of a relevant master’s degree or certificate program will be sufficient to get you started on your guidance counselor career – the only step left is to apply.

Download the Certification Manual and browse the information on this webpage to learn about the procedures for New Jersey school counselor certification.

If you have any more questions, call the New Jersey Department of Education at the following number: (609) 292-2070

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I’m a certified counselor from another state…

If you are already a certified guidance counselor in a state outside of New Jersey, it should be possible for you to obtain a New Jersey counseling license through reciprocity. The New Jersey Department of Education recognizes most all states school counseling certifications, but will still need to evaluate your credentials to make sure all New Jersey school counselor certification requirements are met.

For more information on the application process and requirements for certification, browse the New Jersey Department of Education’s website at the following location.

FAQs

What degree do I need to be a counselor in K-12 schools in New Jersey?

One must have completed significant guidance counselor schooling in order to qualify for state credentials, but there are several avenues that will get you there. Prospective graduate students can enroll in Master of School Counseling degrees as well as programs that offer concentration pathways in school counseling, such as Psychology and Education. Those who already hold master’s degrees in other subjects can enroll in certificate programs in school counseling so that they do not need to complete another master’s degree.

How long does it take to be a guidance counselor with full credentials?

In New Jersey, which does not have credentialing exams for school counselors, the process of becoming a guidance counselor is as quick and streamlined as possible. Most degree programs related to school counseling take 2.5 to three years to complete on a full time schedule, after which you will be eligible for certification.

How do I find school counselor jobs near me?

There are positions for guidance counselors in most K-12 schools, from public schools to charter schools to private schools. This means no matter where in New Jersey you live, you are likely to find local opportunities to become a school counselor.

What is the difference between a school counselor, a school social worker, and a school psychologist?

School counselor vs. school social worker: A school counselor’s job is more general than a school social worker, engaging with many aspects of the school community and helping students through a range of issues, from academic struggles to mental health challenges and more. A school social worker is chiefly focused on issues related to students’ safety and wellbeing, monitoring students to be sure they have housing and food and are supported by their families. School counselors may take on this role as well, but their training will encompass more responsibilities.

School counseling vs. school psychology: Here again the key distinction is in training and primary responsibilities. A school psychologist is primarily focused on providing one-on-one or group counseling to students who are struggling, while a school counselor – who may take on such a role as well – will also be involved in planning campus-wide educational initiatives, evaluating the overall school community, and other “macro-scale” responsibilities that most school psychologists will not be trained to take on.

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