School Counseling in New York City

New York City has the largest school district in the United States, with more than 1 million students1. Richard A. Carranza, chancellor of the Department of Education, cited elite schools’ use of a single test to make their admission decisions as a major challenge to creating diverse student bodies across the city. Other issues within the city’s school system including homelessness, school security, and inequity2 may affect a student’s ability to excel academically, socially, and personally. You can help meet the growing need for school counselors in New York City.

The average salary for educational, guidance, school, and vocational counselors in the New York City area is $70,050, higher than the US average of $57,6203.

New York City serves students in 1,843 schools, including 227 charter schools4.

How School Counselors Help New York City Students

Here are some current issues students face in New York City and the ways school counselors can help them thrive.

  • School Diversity: A 2014 report by The Civil Rights Project found that New York had some of the most segregated public schools in the US5. School counselors can work with students to help them understand diversity and bridge the gap between students of different races.
  • Homeless Students: In the 2016–2017 school year, 111,562 homeless6 students attended school in New York City. Homeless students face unique challenges, such as high absence rates and poor academic performance7, and may rely on school counselors to help them achieve wellness and success.

How to Become a Certified School Counselor in New York City

The school counseling field is growing rapidly, and aspiring school counselors in New York City must meet all the requirements for certification in New York before they can pursue employment.

One of the first steps to becoming a certified school counselor in New York is earning a master’s degree as well as working with pre-K–12 students in a school setting. Resources for New York licensing board can be found on NYU Steinhardt’s Professional Licensure page . NYU Steinhardt’s online masters of arts in Counseling and Guidance leads to eligibility for school counseling certification in New York State.

Why Counseling@NYU School Counseling?

NYU’s online master of arts in Counseling and Guidance program from the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development allows you to earn your school counseling degree from many locations across the US. Counseling@NYU will prepare you to pursue a career in school counseling in New York City and many other school districts in the country.

Earn Your Master’s through
Counseling@NYU

Learn how you can make a difference in the lives of children in New York
City with Counseling@NYU.

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1 NYC Department of Education, DOE Data at a Glancearrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference

2 Silive.com, Here Are 7 Key Issues Facing New NYC Schools Chancellor Richard Carranzaarrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference

3 Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference

4 NYC Department of Education, DOE Data at a Glance arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference

5 Silive.com, Here Are 7 Key Issues Facing New NYC Schools Chancellor Richard Carranzaarrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference

6 Silive.com, Here Are 7 Key Issues Facing New NYC Schools Chancellor Richard Carranzaarrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference

7 New York Times, New York City Is Failing Homeless Students, Reports Sayarrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference