Credit Counselor

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Work Tasks

• Counsel and give advice to people who are in debt
• Find out how much money the customer makes and how much money they have to pay in bills
• Call creditors to get them to lower how much money needs to be paid each month, get rid of fees, and lower the interest rate
• Help people plan a budget; help them control how much money they spend, and plan how to pay back all outstanding debts
• Work in offices for banks, credit unions, financial institutions, credit counseling services, debt management services, and the government
• Work with people in debt, financial records of clients, creditors, records for payment of funds, calculators, and computers

Salary, Size & Growth

• $55,500 average per year ($26.75 per hour)
• A large occupation (155,400 workers in 2010)
• Expected to grow rapidly (3.0% per year)

Education/Training

• Minimum for Entry: A 4-year degree or post-secondary school education in psychology, sociology, economics, business, or finance
• Skills/Courses: Previous experience and skills in credit counseling are helpful.
• Certification/Licensing: All states have some form of credit counselor licensing or certification.