SOC 13-2071.00

    Credit Counselors

    Advise and educate individuals or organizations on acquiring and managing debt.

    Median pay
    $52,230
    Growth
    +3.3%
    As fast as average
    Openings a year
    2,000
    Typical education
    Bachelor's degree

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $38,350
    Median
    $52,230
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $80,440
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    27,770 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Credit counselors advise people and organizations on managing debt, choosing loans, and budgeting. The career offers a median annual pay of $52,230, with opportunities available across the country.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What credit counselors do

    Job Zone 4: Considerable preparation

    Advise and educate individuals or organizations on acquiring and managing debt. May provide guidance in determining the best type of loan and explain loan requirements or restrictions. May help develop debt management plans or student financial aid packages. May advise on credit issues, or provide budget, mortgage, bankruptcy, or student financial aid counseling.

    Most need a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience.

    What the work is like

    Credit counselors spend their days helping clients navigate financial challenges and debt. They gather financial information, analyze budgets, and solve complex problems to help clients establish manageable debt payment plans or secure financial aid. This role requires strong communication skills, active listening, and empathy, as counselors must teach and coach individuals who may be facing stressful financial situations.

    On a daily basis, these professionals use computers to organize data, update their knowledge on financial regulations, and make decisions regarding loan requirements. The work is highly conventional, requiring attention to detail, dependability, and integrity. Counselors must combine knowledge of economics, accounting, mathematics, and customer service with psychological principles to guide clients toward better financial habits.

    How to get there

    Entering this field typically requires a bachelor's degree. Most professionals in this career have a background in finance and financial management services, and they usually need several years of related work experience before they can practice.

    Depending on where you live, some states list a license for this work. Additionally, professionals can earn voluntary certifications to demonstrate their expertise. Examples of these credentials include the Accredited Mortgage Professional, Certified Mortgage Examiner, Commercial Certified Mortgage Servicer, General Mortgage Associate, and Residential Certified Mortgage Servicer.

    Pay and outlook explained

    In 2025, the median annual pay for credit counselors was $52,230. The lowest 10% of earners in this field made less than $38,350, while the highest 10% earned more than $80,440.

    There are 27,770 people employed in this occupation. Between 2025 and 2035, employment is projected to grow by 3.3%, which is as fast as the average for all careers. This growth is expected to result in 2,000 job openings each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R)
    0 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    27 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    13 / 100
    Social (S)
    65 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    62 / 100
    Conventional (C) · strongest
    73 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code CSE. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Working with Computers
    86
    Getting Information
    84
    Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
    82
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    80
    Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    76
    Communicating with People Outside the Organization
    75
    Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
    75
    Coaching and Developing Others
    73
    Providing Consultation and Advice to Others
    73
    Training and Teaching Others
    73
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Active Listening
    • Critical Thinking
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Speaking
    • Active Learning
    • Complex Problem Solving
    • Judgment and Decision Making
    • Writing
    • Service Orientation
    • Persuasion

    Knowledge

    • Customer and Personal Service
    • English Language
    • Administrative
    • Education and Training
    • Economics and Accounting
    • Mathematics
    • Administration and Management
    • Computers and Electronics
    • Psychology
    • Therapy and Counseling

    Abilities

    • Oral Comprehension
    • Oral Expression
    • Written Comprehension
    • Written Expression
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Inductive Reasoning
    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Near Vision
    • Speech Recognition
    • Fluency of Ideas

    Work styles

    • Dependability
    • Attention to Detail
    • Integrity
    • Empathy
    • Sincerity
    • Social Orientation
    • Cooperation
    • Cautiousness
    • Self-Control
    • Perseverance

    Also called

    Accredited Financial Counselor · Branch Credit Counselor · Budget Counselor · Budget Credit Counselor · Certified Consumer Credit and Housing Counselor · Certified Credit Consultant · Certified Credit Counselor · Certified Financial Coach · Certified Personal Finance Counselor · Consumer Credit Counselor

    Career pathway

    From your interests to credit counselors

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Credit Counselors$52,230 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1Washington University in St Louis WUSTL logo
      Washington University in St Louis WUSTL

      Saint Louis, MO · Finance and Financial Management Services · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $108,590
      4 yrs after
      $185,551
      Median debt
      $20,750
    2. 2University of Notre Dame-South Bend IN logo
      University of Notre Dame-South Bend IN

      Notre Dame, IN · Finance and Financial Management Services · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $141,543
      4 yrs after
      $160,313
      Median debt
      $19,500
    3. 3Georgetown University-DC logo
      Georgetown University-DC

      Washington, DC · Finance and Financial Management Services · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $126,622
      4 yrs after
      $152,744
      Median debt
      $13,088
    4. 4Boston College logo
      Boston College

      Chestnut Hill, MA · Finance and Financial Management Services · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $92,127
      4 yrs after
      $147,746
      Median debt
      $18,650
    5. 5Wake Forest University logo
      Wake Forest University

      Winston-Salem, NC · Finance and Financial Management Services · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $116,242
      4 yrs after
      $145,996
      Median debt
      $19,500
    6. 6American University logo
      American University

      Washington, DC · Finance and Financial Management Services · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $76,317
      4 yrs after
      $134,332
      Median debt
      $20,633
    7. 7Southern Methodist University SMU logo
      Southern Methodist University SMU

      Dallas, TX · Finance and Financial Management Services · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $93,440
      4 yrs after
      $133,852
      Median debt
      $17,250
    8. 8The University of Texas at Austin Main Campus logo
      The University of Texas at Austin Main Campus

      Austin, TX · Finance and Financial Management Services · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $81,536
      4 yrs after
      $132,075
      Median debt
      $18,975

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What credit counselors may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Banking and Financial Support Services
    • Credit Management
    • Financial Planning and Services

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    1 state lists a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about credit counselors

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What are some alternative job titles for credit counselors?

    People in this field are also called Accredited Financial Counselors, Budget Credit Counselors, Certified Financial Coaches, and Consumer Credit Counselors.

    What college major is most relevant for this career?

    Students preparing for this career typically choose college majors in finance and financial management services.

    What are the main skills needed to be a credit counselor?

    Key skills for this job include active listening, critical thinking, reading comprehension, speaking, and complex problem solving. Counselors also rely on service orientation and persuasion to guide their clients effectively.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 9, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.