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Kraena Pre-Health
Career Library

Diagnose & Treat

Genetic Counselor

Interprets genetic test results and helps families understand inherited risk — a fast-growing field that blends science with intensive counseling.

Years after high school

6

Degree

Master's in Genetic Counseling

Entrance exam

GRE at some programs; many have dropped it

Median pay

$100,040 national median for genetic counselors (BLS, May 2025).

What the job is actually like

Sitting with patients and families to explain what a genetic result actually means for them: cancer risk, prenatal findings, rare disease diagnoses. Half of the work is science, half is helping someone absorb difficult news. Mostly outpatient and mostly scheduled.

The path

  1. 014 years undergraduate in biology, genetics, or psychology
  2. 02Advocacy or counseling experience — programs weigh this heavily
  3. 032-year master's in genetic counseling
  4. 04ABGC certification exam

Good fit if

  • You love genetics but want patient contact rather than a lab bench
  • You are good at explaining complex things to frightened people
  • You want a master's-length path with real expertise at the end

Think twice if

  • You want procedures or hands-on clinical work — there are none
  • Emotionally heavy conversations would wear you down
  • You need a large job market in a specific city — positions are concentrated

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All salary figures here are median annual wages from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2025 — the most recent full national dataset. 'Median' means half of workers earn more and half earn less. Three things to keep in mind: (1) pay varies enormously by state, city, setting, and experience — a nurse in California and a nurse in rural Alabama earn very different salaries; (2) training lengths are typical, not guaranteed, and programs differ; (3) these numbers change every year. Always verify current figures at bls.gov/ooh before making a decision. For context, the BLS median wage for all U.S. occupations was $50,980, while healthcare practitioner and technical occupations had a median of $86,530 — one of the reasons health care is such a stable field.