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Maryland School Counselors
Maryland’s school counselors guide, advocate for, and counsel students throughout their academic journey. While these professionals are best known for providing academic guidance and counseling, their role encompasses much more. They help students navigate their school years by providing counseling and resources also aimed at their personal and social development.
They’re important members of the educational team, working alongside educators, staff, and administrators to ensure the safety and well-being of all students. And they also collaborate with parents and the community at large to address a wide range of issues.
As a certified Maryland school counselor, you’ll have the opportunity to help students navigate the complex waters of early childhood and adolescence and prepare them for success.
- Top Picks
Featured Universities with School Counseling Programs
#1
Walden University
MS in School Counseling - General Program. Click here to contact Walden University and request information about their programs.
#2
Grand Canyon University
M. Ed in School Counseling (leads to initial Licensure) Click here to contact Grand Canyon University and request information about their programs.
#3
New York University (NYU)
NYU Steinhardt's accredited master of arts program in Counseling and Guidance: School and Bilingual School Counseling. Through this online program, you will gain the skills you need to become a professional Pre-K-12 school counselor, working with children and families in your community to foster academic achievement and success. Click here to contact New York University and request information about their programs.
#4
University of Denver
Earn a Master's degree in School Counseling online from the University of Denver. Learn from doctoral-level faculty in live classes and gain experience through mock counseling and in-field training. No GRE required. Click here to contact University of Denver and request information about their programs.
What do Maryland school counselors do?
School counselors address the needs of the whole child, so that each student has the opportunity to be educated, healthy, and successful. Maryland school counselors do a great job of guiding the whole child and supporting them in various ways.
The duties of Maryland school counselors are complex and wide-ranging:
They are to promote student academic success and well-being.
Not only do Maryland school counselors focus on college/career readiness, they address emotional, social, and behavioral challenges in order to promote the health and well-being of every student.
They address mental health, promote positivity, and encourage healthy behaviors.
Maryland school counselors make students aware of social and behavioral pitfalls that may get in the way of academic success. They strive to help students live their best lives both inside and outside of school.
They provide school-based prevention and targeted interventions for students and staff.
Classroom sessions are offered for bullying prevention, violence prevention, and abuse intervention scenarios. While not easy subjects to teach, Maryland counselors do what it takes to ensure the safety and well-being of every student.
They promote systemic change through the use of leadership skills, advocacy, and collaboration.
Advocacy is at the top of the list for professional school counselors. They help students develop the leadership skills that will prepare them for success. They collaborate with parents, faculty, and the community to promote systemic change in the academic environment.
They provide equitable access to a rigorous education for all students.
No student is forgotten in Maryland’s education system, as counselors ensure equitable access to curriculum and rigorous education for all students. They work hard to bridge gaps and stay ahead of potential academic pitfalls.
How One Maryland High School Is Setting the Bar for Excellence in School Counseling
In 2023, a Maryland high school’s counseling program reached new heights by receiving one of the highest honors by the American School Counseling Association (ASCA): the Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) designation.
It’s a recognition awarded to a very select few; just 101 schools across the nation qualified for the RAMP distinction in 2023. Schools awarded the RAMP designation have gone above and beyond in their school counseling program by delivering the most comprehensive, contemporary programs according to ASCA standards.
For Northwood High School, part of the Montgomery County Public School (MCPS) system, it was a hard-won recognition that involved a concerted effort at addressing major issues within the school system, including bullying and violence.
Here’s how they did it:
- They brought in the Bridges to Wellness program. In partnership with the Department of Health and Human Services, MCPS provides 19 high schools with three core staff members: a care manager, a mental health therapist, and a youth development specialist who bring in a variety of resources for students, including referrals to community resources, mentoring, service projects, psychoeducational groups, individual/group/family counseling, coping skills coaching, skill building groups, group activities, field trips, and more.
- They directed funding to hire more school counselors and school psychologists.
- They, along with other schools within the MCPS system, administered wellness surveys to students that allowed educators and counselors to better understand and address the most pressing issues of the student body.
- The data they collected, along with data required to maintain RAMP status (attendance, grades, etc.), was used to identify and target areas for future improvement.
- They developed and implemented ten action plans focused on creating vision statements that addressed everything from student outcomes to classroom behaviors.
The ASCA National Model encourages school counselors to develop counseling programs that “have a significant positive impact on student achievement, attendance and discipline.” ASCA model programs:
- Are based on data-informed decision making
- Are delivered to all students
- Involve a developmentally appropriate curriculum that’s focused on providing students what they need for postsecondary readiness and success
- Close achievement and opportunity gaps
- Improve student achievement, attendance, and discipline
Why should someone consider becoming a school counselor in Maryland?
Job Market Trends
Maryland School Counselor Salary (median) 1
$74,970/year
Number of School Counselors Employed 1
6,210
Projected employment growth in Maryland 2
15.5% from 2022-2032
School counselors have a noble mission of making a positive impact on students. Here are a few reasons to consider becoming a school counselor in Maryland:
- The Maryland State Department of Education does not require a specific major at the undergraduate level.
- The median salary for a School Counselor is $74,970 in Maryland.
Professional school counselors in Maryland play a vital role in guiding the next generation and supporting the whole child to be successful, educated, and well-rounded citizens. Maryland school counseling is a blossoming career with many opportunities.
Contact schools offering school counseling or mental health counseling programs and learn how you can begin a career as a Maryland school counselor.
Whether you are from Baltimore, Frederick, Gaithersburg, Annapolis, or anywhere else across the state, you will find school counseling to be a highly rewarding and respected career.
1.) May 2024 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics job market and salary figures for Educational, Guidance and Career Counselors and Advisors represents state data not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed May 2025.
2.) School Counselor projections data retrieved from Projections Central, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. Data accessed May 2025.