School Counsellor
Shortage Now
JSA currently reports no national or state/territory shortage signal for this occupation.
Snapshot
Median salary
Not available
People employed
4,100
Estimated workforce
Shortage signal
No shortage (national)
Categories identify where a shortage occurs; they are not a severity score.
What you actually do
Provides information and assistance to students, parents and teachers about a wide range of matters, such as students' personal problems, learning difficulties and special requirements.
Alternative titles
Student Wellbeing Officer
Scope note: Student Services Advisers are excluded from this occupation. Student Services Advisers are included in Occupation 259933 Student Services Adviser.
Read official OSCA descriptionSkills & main tasks
Official main tasks
- Conducts individual and group counselling sessions with students to address academic, emotional and social concerns to enhance student wellbeing, and create a supportive and nurturing learning environment
- Develops and implements counselling and educational programs to promote students' mental health, resilience and wellbeing
- Collaborates with teachers and parents to identify and address issues that may impact students' wellbeing
- Analyses student behaviour, especially those with learning difficulties, and assists parents and teachers in managing their needs
Where people work
State / territory distribution
Highest education
Share of workers
Education & work pattern
Part-time
47%
Female rate
80%
Median age
41
2030 & 2035 employment outlook
to 2030
+13%
4,419 projected jobs
to 2035
+23%
7,954 projected jobs
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OSCA skill level 1
A classification attribute describing the occupation; it is not a personal eligibility or qualification decision.
Official VET pathways
Diploma of Counselling
Progression pathway
Certificate IV in Career Development
Transferable skills
Real jobs right now
Live signal from SEEK, Indeed & moreCurrent vacancy signal
QLD · May 2026
110
ACT · May 2026
16
VIC · May 2026
77
NT · May 2026
14
SA · May 2026
27
NSW · May 2026
126
Where could this career take you?
Compare state-level shortage signals, salary context, study options and visa information for School Counsellor.
Regional demand
Largest employment base
#1 Melbourne - Inner
1,779 estimated employed
- 1
Melbourne - Inner
1,779 employed
VIC
+21.35%
year on year
- 2
Melbourne - West
1,539 employed
VIC
+17.21%
year on year
- 3
Melbourne - South East
1,359 employed
VIC
+11.85%
year on year
- 4
Geelong
1,121 employed
VIC
+39.43%
year on year
- 5
Melbourne - Inner South
1,036 employed
VIC
+16.01%
year on year
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Ranked by current shortage signal and projected employment growth.
Workers in this occupation
3,860
Moved in from another occupation
670
Moved to another occupation
665
Recommendation score: shortage = 2 points, no shortage = 1 point, plus 1 point for each 10% of projected growth to 2035.
- 1
4
points
- 2
3
points
- 3
3
points
- 4
2
points
Data status
- Classification
- OSCA 261136
- Last updated
- 2026-07-16
- Sources
- Jobs and Skills Australia OSL · Jobs and Skills Australia DOM · ABS OSCA · Department of Home Affairs Core Skills Occupation List matched via ABS OSCA 2024 v1.0 correspondence Table 2
Labour-market data coverage
- Shortage signal and drivers: JSA Occupation Shortage List (ANZSCO unit group where applicable).
- Work profile, state distribution and education: JSA Occupation Profiles (ANZSCO mapped).
- Regional employment: JSA NERO, June 2026.
- Career-move observations: JSA DOM, last available 2020–21. Observed Australian worker transitions are not personalised recommendations; many contractors and sole traders are excluded, as are transitions below 10 workers.
- Vacancy signal: JSA Internet Vacancy Index, 3-month average (ANZSCO unit group).
- Employment outlook: JSA employment projections (ANZSCO unit group).
- Training pathways: JSA Training Occupation Pathways.
Data confidence: official-profile-and-csol.