# Credit Counselors

> 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/credit-counselors
- SOC code: 13-2071.00
- Career family: Business and finance
- Median annual pay: $52,230 (10th percentile $38,350, 90th percentile $80,440)
- Projected growth: As fast as average, +3.3%
- Openings a year: 2,000
- Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code CSE)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 0 |
| Investigative (I) | 27 |
| Artistic (A) | 13 |
| Social (S) | 65 |
| Enterprising (E) | 62 |
| Conventional (C) | 73 |

## What you'd do

- Working with Computers (importance 86/100)
- Getting Information (importance 84/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 82/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 80/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 76/100)
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization (importance 75/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 75/100)
- Coaching and Developing Others (importance 73/100)
- Providing Consultation and Advice to Others (importance 73/100)
- Training and Teaching Others (importance 73/100)

## 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

## 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

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Finance and Financial Management Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5208) (CIP 5208, 924 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Washington University in St Louis WUSTL](https://www.collegesref.com/college/washington-university-in-st-louis-wustl-3172) | Finance and Financial Management Services | $108,590 | $185,551 | $20,750 |
| [University of Notre Dame-South Bend IN](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-notre-dame-south-bend-in-3005) | Finance and Financial Management Services | $141,543 | $160,313 | $19,500 |
| [Georgetown University-DC](https://www.collegesref.com/college/georgetown-university-dc-1068) | Finance and Financial Management Services | $126,622 | $152,744 | $13,088 |
| [Boston College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/boston-college-285) | Finance and Financial Management Services | $92,127 | $147,746 | $18,650 |
| [Wake Forest University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/wake-forest-university-3149) | Finance and Financial Management Services | $116,242 | $145,996 | $19,500 |
| [American University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/american-university-69) | Finance and Financial Management Services | $76,317 | $134,332 | $20,633 |
| [Southern Methodist University SMU](https://www.collegesref.com/college/southern-methodist-university-smu-2498) | Finance and Financial Management Services | $93,440 | $133,852 | $17,250 |
| [The University of Texas at Austin Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/the-university-of-texas-at-austin-main-campus-2764) | Finance and Financial Management Services | $81,536 | $132,075 | $18,975 |

## Related careers

- [Personal Financial Advisors](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/personal-financial-advisors): $105,070 median pay
- [Loan Officers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/loan-officers): $76,690 median pay
- [Credit Authorizers, Checkers, and Clerks](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/credit-authorizers-checkers-and-clerks): $50,080 median pay
- [Credit Analysts](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/credit-analysts): $83,510 median pay
- [Loan Interviewers and Clerks](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/loan-interviewers-and-clerks): $50,020 median pay
- [Financial and Investment Analysts](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/financial-and-investment-analysts): $102,740 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

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.