Occupations · Business and Financial Operations

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.

O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 13-2071.00

$50,480median annual wage, May 2024

28,110people employed, United States

▲ 3.3%projected change, 2024→2034

2,200openings a year, incl. replacements

What it pays

A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage

Pay over time

Median up 51% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.

BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.

Where the jobs are

Metro area	Median wage	Employed
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA	$63,330	1,440
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI	$52,280	1,020
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	$49,430	980
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ	$47,310	950
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$64,920	850
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$62,290	780
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	$48,590	660
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX	$47,540	660
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	$51,190	570
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	$46,850	560
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$55,500	550
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$57,530	480

BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation

Typical education to enter: Bachelor's degree · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34

What people in this job actually do

Ordered by how important the work is rated.

Calculate clients' available monthly income to meet debt obligations.
Explain services or policies to clients, such as debt management program rules, advantages and disadvantages of using services, or creditor concession policies.
Create debt management plans, spending plans, or budgets to assist clients to meet financial goals.
Prioritize client debt repayment to avoid dire consequences, such as bankruptcy or foreclosure or to reduce overall costs, such as by paying high-interest or short-term loans first.
Assess clients' overall financial situations by reviewing income, assets, debts, expenses, credit reports, or other financial information.
Recommend strategies for clients to meet their financial goals, such as borrowing money through loans or loan programs, declaring bankruptcy, making budget adjustments, or enrolling in debt management plans.
Explain general financial topics to clients, such as credit report ratings, bankruptcy laws, consumer protection laws, wage attachments, or collection actions.
Disburse funds from client accounts to creditors.
Interview clients by telephone or in person to gather financial information.
Estimate time for debt repayment, given amount of debt, interest rates, and available funds.
Prepare written documents to establish contracts with or communicate financial recommendations to clients.
Maintain or update records of client account activity, including financial transactions, counseling session notes, correspondence, document images, or client inquiries.

O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale

Skills that matter most

Importance, rated 1 to 5.

Speaking4.0

Active Listening3.9

Reading Comprehension3.9

Critical Thinking3.8

Writing3.8

Active Learning3.6

Learning Strategies3.1

Mathematics3.1

Monitoring3.0

Science1.0

O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale

Software and tools

A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.

Microsoft Access●Microsoft Excel●Microsoft Office software●Microsoft Outlook●Microsoft PowerPoint●Microsoft Word●Oracle PeopleSoft●SAP software●Chat softwareCooperative Processing Resources DMS Professional SuiteCoreLogic DebtorTraceEmail softwareFreddie Mac Loan ProspectorICCO CreditSoftIntegrant DebtLogicLexisNexisLexisNexis AccurintMerlin Information Services databasesMicrosoft DynamicsParagon Financial Services Paragon Financial SystemPrime Debt Soft Debt SettlementPrime Debt Software Credit RepairWeb browser software

O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag

What this work is actually like

Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.

4 / 5Considerable preparation — a four-year degree plus several years in the field.

O*NET 30.3 Job Zones

Working conditions that stand out

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets−2.0 below average

Health and Safety of Other Workers−1.8 below average

Spend Time Sitting+1.5 above average

Exposed to Contaminants−1.5 below average

Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers−1.3 below average

Spend Time Standing−1.3 below average

Exposed to Very Hot or Cold Temperatures−1.2 below average

O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2020-08

How people actually get in

Share of workers by the education they hold.

Bachelor's Degree40%

High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)36%

Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)12%

Some College Courses8%

O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2020-08

What kind of person the work suits

Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.

Conventional5.3

Social4.9

Enterprising4.7

O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)

What you take with you

Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.

Service Orientation3.6

Judgment and Decision Making3.5

Complex Problem Solving3.5

Persuasion3.4

Negotiation3.2

Time Management3.1

Coordination3.1

Social Perceptiveness3.1

O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale

Knowledge the work draws on

Customer and Personal ServiceEnglish LanguageMathematicsAdministrativeEducation and TrainingEconomics and Accounting

Abilities it leans on

Oral ExpressionOral ComprehensionWritten ComprehensionProblem SensitivityWritten ExpressionInductive Reasoning

O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale

How this job is advertised

The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.

Loan AdvisorLoan ServicerDebt CounselorCredit AssociateCredit CounselorMortgage AdvisorCredit SpecialistHousing CounselorMortgage CounselorHome Lending AdvisorCredit RepresentativeFinancial Aid AdvisorFinancial Aid OfficerStudent Loan Counselor

O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation

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What changed since 2015

Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 1 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.

Now listed 3

+LexisNexis+Prime Debt Software Credit Repair+Microsoft Dynamics

No longer listed 12

−EDExpress−Financial aid management system FAM software−Datatel Colleague−Credit Master software−Prime Debt Soft Credit Repair Software−SunGard Higher Education Banner Financial Aid−ELM Resources ELM−EMT Applications CounselorMax−Sungard Higher Education PowerFAIDS−Data entry software−Student information systems SIS−Microsoft Internet Explorer

Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.

O*NET 30.3 related occupations

Also called

CounselorLoan AdvisorLoan ServicerDebt CounselorLoan CounselorFinancial CoachCredit CounselorMortgage AdvisorCredit AssociateCredit SpecialistHousing CounselorMortgage Counselor

O*NET 30.3 alternative titles

The same work in Europe

ESCO occupation	ISCO	Match
credit adviser	3312.2	exact
credit analyst	3312.2.1	close
corporate banking manager	2412.2	close
student financial support coordinator	3312.7	broader

Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)

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