What Does an Outreach Counselor Do?
When a student's parents never went to college, one adult who knows the process can decide whether that student applies or whether the plan quietly fades. Outreach counselors are that adult for whole caseloads of students, visiting their schools and guiding them from course choices to financial aid forms.
Also known as: Senior Outreach Counselor
Other Job Titles for This Work
Workers in this occupation report titles such as Academic Advisor, Academic Counselor, Admissions Counselor, Career Counselor, College Counselor, Elementary School Counselor, Guidance Counselor, School Counselor.
Outreach Counselor Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of an outreach counselor include:
- Visit partner high schools and community centers on a set schedule to meet assigned students.
- Run workshops on college choice, applications, essays and the FAFSA for students and parents.
- Help students build four-year course plans that meet college entrance requirements.
- Guide seniors through application portals, fee waivers and scholarship essays one by one.
- Track each student's grades, test dates and application status in the program database.
- Organize campus visits so students see dorms, classes and financial aid offices in person.
- Hold evening sessions for parents, with interpretation when families prefer another language.
- Follow up with graduates during their first college year to catch problems early.
- Write reports on participation and results for the program's federal or state grant.
- Recruit new students through teacher referrals, school counselor meetings and community events.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as an outreach counselor, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Knowledge of college admissions and financial aid, including the FAFSA
- Experience with TRIO, GEAR UP or similar college access programs
- Public speaking to teen and parent audiences
- Spanish or another language spoken in the community
- Case tracking in a database such as Blumen or Salesforce
- A valid driver's license for school visits
- Persistence with students who miss appointments
- Grant reporting and record keeping
Education and Training
Many outreach counselors start with a bachelor's degree, but some start out by working as tutors or mentors in the same college access program. A master's degree, the typical entry education BLS lists for the wider counselor group, is common among senior outreach counselors. Being a first-generation graduate yourself helps.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $51,270 - $82,870 per year, with a median of $64,330.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors.
BLS expects employment of educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors to rise about 3 percent between 2025 and 2035. Most of the roughly 27,800 yearly openings will come from turnover. These jobs often depend on federal or state grants, so hiring can rise or fall with each funding cycle, given that programs must win renewal to keep going.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors.
Outreach Counselor Pay Range
| Earners | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $45,020 |
| Bottom 25% earn less than | $51,270 |
| Median (half earn more, half less) | $64,330 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $82,870 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $104,770 |
Highest-Paying States for Outreach Counselors
The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are California ($86,500), Alaska ($82,900), Washington ($82,670), District of Columbia ($80,470), Massachusetts ($79,930). Pay is lowest in Florida ($53,140), Oklahoma ($52,040), South Dakota ($51,830).
Median pay in all 51 states with BLS data
| State | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $59,570 |
| Alaska | $82,900 |
| Arizona | $58,250 |
| Arkansas | $59,770 |
| California | $86,500 |
| Colorado | $64,780 |
| Connecticut | $73,910 |
| Delaware | $74,070 |
| District of Columbia | $80,470 |
| Florida | $53,140 |
| Georgia | $63,720 |
| Hawaii | $61,730 |
| Idaho | $60,320 |
| Illinois | $62,420 |
| Indiana | $59,260 |
| Iowa | $56,540 |
| Kansas | $56,590 |
| Kentucky | $64,350 |
| Louisiana | $61,870 |
| Maine | $58,630 |
| Maryland | $75,820 |
| Massachusetts | $79,930 |
| Michigan | $59,440 |
| Minnesota | $64,600 |
| Mississippi | $58,710 |
| Missouri | $58,040 |
| Montana | $57,900 |
| Nebraska | $62,500 |
| Nevada | $66,710 |
| New Hampshire | $71,080 |
| New Jersey | $77,910 |
| New Mexico | $77,880 |
| New York | $71,610 |
| North Carolina | $57,630 |
| North Dakota | $58,960 |
| Ohio | $61,760 |
| Oklahoma | $52,040 |
| Oregon | $66,690 |
| Pennsylvania | $60,880 |
| Rhode Island | $75,000 |
| South Carolina | $60,340 |
| South Dakota | $51,830 |
| Tennessee | $59,960 |
| Texas | $67,900 |
| Utah | $61,320 |
| Vermont | $64,570 |
| Virginia | $67,660 |
| Washington | $82,670 |
| West Virginia | $55,520 |
| Wisconsin | $62,690 |
| Wyoming | $63,430 |
What the Work Is Like
O*NET surveys people who work as educational, guidance, and career counselors and advisors about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:
- 98% say teamwork is very or extremely important in their job
- 96% are on the phone every day
- 96% use email every day
- 85% work indoors in a climate-controlled space every day
- 82% spend more than half the workday sitting
- 76% say being exact and accurate is very or extremely important
- 54% deal with rude or angry people at least once a week
Tools and Software Outreach Counselors Use
Tools and equipment
Software
Is This Job a Good Fit for You?
People who do well in this job tend to enjoy helping, teaching or caring for people as well as leading, persuading and making business decisions.
Skills O*NET rates most important: Active Listening, Speaking, Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation, Reading Comprehension, Writing.
Knowledge areas used most: Customer and Personal Service, English Language, Therapy and Counseling, Education and Training, Psychology.
Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 5 of 5, which means extensive preparation.
Related Careers
These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:
Applying for an Outreach Counselor Job
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Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
- O*NET 30.1 Database, occupation 21-1012.00 (Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors). View on O*NET OnLine.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. The Job Explorer has modified some of the information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these changes.