New York School Counselor Certification

If you wish to become a school counselor in the state of New York, good news: the process of acquiring and maintaining your professional credentials are streamlined and straightforward.

Getting your guidance counselor credentials is a must for anyone who wishes to pursue a career in the field – without one, you will not be qualified to work in schools.

Your school counselor certificate asserts that you have the training and education needed to take on the tremendous responsibilities that come with the job. With these credentials, you will be equipped for the numerous job opportunities for guidance counselors all over the state of New York.

There are more than 2.6 million students in New York state. School counselors support each student’s academic, social, emotional, and vocational development by providing comprehensive standards-based services. This can include providing one-on-one counseling to students dealing with mental health and learning challenges, working in collaboration with teachers and parents to develop comprehensive support plans for struggling students, monitoring students exhibiting signs of distress, and designing overall programs to support the school community, among many others. Completing the certification process indicates that you have built up expertise in all of these areas, allowing you to thrive in this complex but deeply rewarding role.

So what do you need to become a school counselor? If you don’t yet have a relevant master’s degree, pursuing higher education will be the first step on your career journey. Meanwhile, those who already hold New York State certification that is on the verge of expiring or who hold credentials in another state will need to go through the certification process as well.  Skip down the page to the certification pathway you’re interested in:

• Initial School Counseling Certification
• Certification Renewal
• Certification Through Reciprocity
• Additional Certification Resources

Initial New York School Counselor Certification

In order to qualify for state certification exams, one must have completed a master’s program. But what degree does a guidance counselor need?

Aspiring school counselors have several degree options to choose from to meet guidance counselor education requirements.

This is because different programs offer slightly different degree pathways related to school counseling, all of which will lay the foundations for a career in K-12 institutions. When choosing between programs, you may see the following degree options, all of which can meet guidance counselor schooling requisites:

• Master of Education (M.Ed) in School Counseling
• Master of Arts (M.A.) or Master of Science (M.S.) in Educational Psychology – School Counseling concentration
• Master of Arts (M.A.) or Master of Science (M.S). in Counseling Psychology – School Counseling concentration

Your master’s coursework will include guidance counselor classes as well as field internships that will give you your first exposure to the day to day work of a school counselor.

Fortunately for incoming students, there are now many degree programs offering classes online, making graduate school significantly more accessible for students all over New York state and beyond. In these programs, practicum experiences will still be completed on-campus at the K-12 school of your choosing, but you will have greater flexibility in designing your daily schedule.

Step 2: Criminal Background Check

All applicants must be cleared by the New York State Education Department. In order to complete these requirements, you will need to submit fingerprints by using MorphoTrust/IDEMIA to complete the process. The application fee for this service is $101.75.

Approved locations are across the U.S. For more information, or to schedule an appointment to submit your fingerprints, call MorphoTrust/IDEMIA at 877-472-6915. You can also schedule your appointment online.

Step 3: Examination Requirements

Upon completing your master’s program, you will be eligible for your credentialing exams. The school counselor certification exam is administered by New York State Teacher Certification Examinations (NYSTCE). This is a computer-based exam featuring 90 selected response (multiple choice or true-false) questions and one constructed-response (written or oral) question.

While your master’s program will have given you the extensive preparation you need to take the NYSTCE exam, you are still highly encouraged to study thoroughly, as this test is the last significant hurdle between you and the career you have been working for.

It is possible for those with master’s degrees to schedule test-taking appointments year-round. The cost to take the exam is $122.

Step 4: Know the Fees

Applicants for a New York school counselor certification will pay either $50 or $100, depending on the type of education and experience used for obtaining a certification.

For a detailed description of the fee schedule, visit this webpage.

Step 5: Organize Your Application Materials

Once you have completed steps one through four, you will need to submit an application to the New York State Education Department (NYSED). Your application materials include the following:

• Completed profile and application through the through the TEACH online services system
• Official transcripts from all colleges/universities you have attended, including transfer credits that led to earned degree
• Verification of paid experience form, if applicable, downloadable here
• Completion of training in the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA), which addresses forms of discrimination in schools. This training totals nine (9) clock hours. For a list of all approved training providers, visit this website
• Completion of Child Abuse Identification and School Violence Prevention and Intervention workshops, if you are applying without a completed master’s degree in school counseling. For detailed information about how to complete these workshop requirements, visit this webpage and this webpage.

Step 6: Submit Your Application

New York school counselor certification applications are only submitted online through the TEACH online services system.

All supporting materials should be sent in one complete packet to:

Supporting documentation must contain identifying information, including:

• Date of birth or a portion of date of birth
• Last four digits of your Social Security Number
• Your current name, as it is listed exactly in your TEACH account

Additional Information

If you would like to speak with a certification specialist, you can contact the New York education department at 518-474-3901 during normal business hours. You can also complete an email contact form, located here.

New York School Counselor Certification Renewal

Your initial counseling certificate in New York will be a Pupil Personnel Services certificate at the Provisional level, which lasts five years.

The next renewal for a New York school counselor is the Permanent Certificate, which is valid for life, unless it is revoked or suspended by the Department of Education. In order to qualify for a permanent certificate, one must complete two years of PPS experience as a school counselor in a public, charter, or private school. You must hold your PPS-Provisional certification as you complete this process.

The application fee for a permanent certificate is $50 or $100, depending upon your pathway to obtaining the certificate.

All applicants for a provisional renewal must complete the following three continuing education courses:

• Child Abuse Identification Workshop
• Dignity for All Students Act Workshop
• School Violence Prevention and Intervention Workshop

You can apply for your renewal online here.

Additional Assistance

If you need additional information about renewing your New York school counseling certificate, contact the Education Department during normal business hours at 518-474-3901.

New York School Counselor Certification Through Reciprocity

If you are relocating to New York state and already hold a school counselor license in another state, it is possible to put your existing credential toward obtaining your New York state school counselor certification.

NYSED offers a license endorsement process for certified school counselors who are credentialed in other states. In order to qualify for this, applicants must have:

• A master’s degree in a relevant field with a 3.0 GPA or higher
• Three years of school counselor experience in another U.S. state within five years of their application submission, verified by your employer

Applicants also must complete workshops in Child Abuse Identification, Dignity For All Students Act (DASA), and School Violence Intervention and Prevention to ensure that they are up to date on the state’s standards and procedures. You will also need to complete a criminal background check.

Additional Assistance

If you have questions about your out-of-state application, contact the certification office at 518-474-3901, or complete an inquiry form, located here.

New York School Counseling Certification Resources

For resources to assist you with continuing education and other career development opportunities, see the following websites:

• New York School Counselor Association
• NYSSCA School Counselor Resource Guide
  
• American School Counselor Association
• National Board of Certified Counselors

FAQs

What degree do I need to be a guidance counselor in New York?

In order to qualify for school counselor certification in New York state, one must hold a master’s degree in a subject related to school counseling. This can include a straightforward School Counseling degree or a School Counseling concentration pathway in a larger program, such as Educational Psychology or Counseling Psychology.

Beyond a master’s degree, what is required to be a school counselor?

School counselors must hold valid New York state credentials, called Pupil Personnel Services credentials. Your initial credentials (that is, the credentials you’ll obtain upon completing your certification exams) are the Provisional class of certificate, which are valid for five years. Once you have completed two years of work as a school counselor at a K-12 school, you will be eligible for the Permanent class of certificate.

How long does it take to be a guidance counselor?

When taken on a full-time schedule, master’s coursework for school counselors is typically 2.5 to three years to complete. This includes your mandatory field internship experience. If you don’t yet hold a bachelor’s degree, you will need to start with your undergraduate education, which typically takes four years to complete.

How much do guidance counselors make an hour in New York state?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, guidance counselors in the state of New York earn a mean hourly wage of $35.06, amounting to a mean annual wage of $72,930. In New York City, this figure is higher, matching the higher costs of living in the area: school counselors earn a mean hourly wage of $38.32, amounting to an annual mean wage of $79,710.

2023 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and employment figures reflect state data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed March 2025.

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