South Dakota School Counselors

In South Dakota, many of the best and brightest in education and other industries are becoming interested in the school counseling career.

Compared to other professional careers, South Dakota school counseling is highly competitive, unlike lagging teacher salaries. In the '05-'06 school year, South Dakota ranked 50th in the nation (51st including Washington DC) for average teacher salary at $34,709. South Dakota school counselors will typically earn $5,000 to $10,000 more each year than teachers.

Secondly, the tides are turning as many South Dakota residents are demanding higher quality education. More emphasis will be placed on the importance of school counselors' expertise and their involvement in the development of curriculum and educational programs. Soon the consensus will be that desired achievements will simply not be reached if methods for breaking down learning barriers are not implemented on all levels of the educational process.

What this means for school counselors in South Dakota is that they are looking at a future with strong job security and continual salary increases.

Finally, the reason why most become South Dakota school counselors in the first place is the emotional rewards. Unlike teaching, school counseling is one of the few careers in education where you have the opportunity to individually work with students who need the most assistance. You will be able to experience the effects of a job well done when you see a certain pupil move on to the next grade or graduate high school with a positive attitude.

Contact schools offering school counseling or mental health counseling programs and learn how you can begin a career as a South Dakota School Counselor.

Whether you are from Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Aberdeen, or anywhere else across the state, you will find school counseling a highly rewarding and respected career.

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**Some states require completion of a state-approved School Counselor preparation program from a regionally accredited institution in order to be licensed as a school counselor. Capella University is regionally accredited and their School Counseling specialization is state-approved by the Arizona Department of Education. We recommend that you follow up with your state Department of Education (DOE) to determine whether Capella's Arizona- approved School Counseling specialization meets your state's licensure requirements.