Virginia School Counselors

Many educators and professionals from various fields are inquiring about the Virginia school counseling career. Great things are happening at an increasing frequency in Virginia's public education system.

Recently, 89 schools received awards for high performance. The following is a quote by Governor Timothy M. Kaine from the January 10th, 2008 announcement of the awards:

“Students in these schools are soaring far beyond the minimum requirements of the Standards of Learning and No Child Left Behind,” said Governor Kaine. “It speaks to the strength of public education in the Commonwealth that the 89 schools that have earned this distinction include schools in rural, suburban and urban communities and schools in every part of the state.”

With soaring student achievements, Virginia will seek to keep their momentum. School counselors who have helped with their student psychology expertise will be called upon even more now to help with developing curriculum and educational programs that aid in breaking down learning barriors for all.

Virginia school counselor salaries are already beginning to represent the essential place school counselors hold in public education. In the '05-'06 school year, Virginia ranked 28th in the nation for average teacher salary at $43,823. Virginia school counselors typically earn $5,000 to $10,000 more each year than teachers.

Aside from monetary perks and job security, many are still becoming interested in this career because the school counseling position is one of the few educational careers still encouraging one-on-one interaction. The emotional rewards for Virginia school counselors performing their job well is priceless.

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

Whether you are from Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Richmond, Newport News, Hampton, Roanoke, or anywhere else across the state, you will find school counseling a highly rewarding and respected career.

Back to the top

**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.