Career profile · 29-9092
Genetic Counselors
Assess individual or family risk for a variety of inherited conditions, such as genetic disorders and birth defects. Provide information to other healthcare providers or to individuals and families concerned with the risk of inherited conditions. Advise individuals and families to support informed decisionmaking and coping methods for those at risk. May help conduct research related to genetic conditions or genetic counseling.
What the work can involve
- Provide counseling to patient and family members by providing information, education, or reassurance.
- Analyze genetic information to identify patients or families at risk for specific disorders or syndromes.
- Provide genetic counseling in specified areas of clinical genetics, such as obstetrics, pediatrics, oncology and neurology.
- Discuss testing options and the associated risks, benefits and limitations with patients and families to assist them in making informed decisions.
- Interview patients or review medical records to obtain comprehensive patient or family medical histories, and document findings.
- Provide patients with information about the inheritance of conditions such as cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, and various forms of cancer.
Selected core tasks from O*NET 31.0. Responsibilities vary by employer, specialization and experience.
Preparation and entry routes
This O*NET group commonly calls for extensive preparation, often including advanced education and significant experience. A related certificate or associate program should not be treated as sufficient qualification.
Check the route for the specific occupation where you plan to work. Education, employer experience requirements, occupational licensing and industry certification can be separate steps.
Understand the different credentials →Skills used in this occupation
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Learning
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Knowledge to build
- Biology
- Therapy and Counseling
- English Language
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Psychology
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Common work activities
- Getting Information
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
- Assisting and Caring for Others
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Training subjects to investigate
The federal education-to-occupation crosswalk connects this role to the subjects below. These links do not endorse a school or guarantee that any particular award qualifies a graduate for the job.
Working conditions to consider
These are the most common published responses to selected O*NET work-setting questions. They describe occupation-level survey findings, not every employer or a particular job.
| Work-setting question | Most common response | Share giving that response |
|---|---|---|
| Contact With Others | Constant contact with others | 66.7%08/2026 · sample 21 |
| Exposed to Contaminants | Never | 76.2%08/2026 · sample 21 |
| Exposed to Disease or Infections | Once a year or more but not every month | 33.3%08/2026 · sample 21 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Conditions | Never | 81.0%08/2026 · sample 21 |
| Spend Time Sitting | More than half the time | 61.9%08/2026 · sample 21 |
| Spend Time Standing | Less than half the time | 85.0%08/2026 · sample 20 |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls | Never | 85.7%08/2026 · sample 21 |
| Time Pressure | Once a week or more but not every day | 38.1%08/2026 · sample 21 |
| Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets | Never | 66.7%08/2026 · sample 21 |
| Work Schedules | Regular (established routine, set schedule) | 100.0%08/2026 · sample 21 |
O*NET 31.0 Work Context, selected topics. Only unsuppressed source responses with sample size at least 10 are shown. A most-common response need not be a majority. Sampling uncertainty applies; source dates vary. Ask employers about actual schedules, accessibility, protective equipment and working conditions.
Software used in the workplace
Use these O*NET examples to ask how a course builds practical digital skills. They are workplace examples, not a required shopping list or confirmation of a school’s curriculum.
- Analytical or scientific software: Ftree, Pedigree drawing and management software
- Data base user interface and query software: Database software, FileMaker Pro, Microsoft Access
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook
- Internet browser software: Web browser software
- Medical software: BRCAPRO, Benetech PRA, Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool, CancerGene
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word
Selected categories and examples from O*NET 31.0 Software Skills. Products and employer requirements change. These examples are not endorsements; check the complete official occupation profile.
Pay & employment outlook
Salary estimates for genetic counselors
The median divides workers into two equally sized groups by pay. It is not a starting salary, a school’s graduate outcome or a promise of employment. Lower percentiles are not automatically new graduates.
National outlook: 2025–2035
- Typical education for entry
- Master's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- Typical on-the-job training
- None
BLS national employment projections, 2025–2035. Openings include people leaving occupations or the labor force; these are not advertised vacancies. Education categories describe typical entry, not legal eligibility or a guarantee that any specific program is sufficient.
Compare wages across 28 state/DC estimates
| State | Annual median | Hourly median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $102,730 | $49.39 | 50 |
| California | $137,650 | $66.18 | 440 |
| Colorado | $106,100 | $51.01 | 40 |
| Connecticut | $101,640 | $48.87 | 50 |
| Delaware | $106,010 | $50.97 | 40 |
| District of Columbia | $100,380 | $48.26 | 40 |
| Florida | $102,330 | $49.20 | 100 |
| Georgia | $82,750 | $39.78 | Not published |
| Illinois | $95,880 | $46.10 | 90 |
| Indiana | $89,640 | $43.10 | 40 |
| Kentucky | $99,770 | $47.97 | 50 |
| Maryland | $94,050 | $45.22 | 50 |
| Massachusetts | $97,240 | $46.75 | 200 |
| Michigan | $84,970 | $40.85 | 80 |
| Minnesota | $102,010 | $49.04 | 160 |
| Missouri | $83,980 | $40.38 | 40 |
| New Jersey | $117,750 | $56.61 | 240 |
| New York | $107,450 | $51.66 | 240 |
| North Carolina | $93,570 | $44.98 | 80 |
| Ohio | $100,670 | $48.40 | 120 |
| Pennsylvania | $94,930 | $45.64 | 230 |
| South Carolina | $93,600 | $45.00 | 40 |
| Tennessee | $94,380 | $45.37 | 340 |
| Texas | $99,450 | $47.81 | Not published |
| Utah | $98,430 | $47.32 | 50 |
| Virginia | $99,960 | $48.06 | 100 |
| Washington | $102,920 | $49.48 | 100 |
| Wisconsin | $92,170 | $44.31 | 110 |
Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan wages
Search the 20 published local-area estimates for this occupation. Metropolitan areas can cross state lines; a city’s postal name is not necessarily the statistical area’s name.
Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS public downloads and 2025–2035 employment projections, retrieved September 9, 2026. Unpublished estimates stay unavailable. “+” means BLS’s upper reporting threshold ($239,200 annually or $115 hourly). Wages exclude self-employment and nonwage benefits. How to interpret these figures.
Compare the route and prepare for work
Questions to test the fit
- What does an entry-level working day look like, and how does it differ from the experienced role described here?
- Which tasks, work environments and schedules would I enjoy or find difficult?
- What education, supervised practice and credentials do local employers actually request?
- Can I speak with someone in the occupation or arrange a suitable workplace visit?
- How does the complete training cost compare with my realistic budget and available routes?
Sources and attribution
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. Trade School Guides selects and organizes the material and adds explanatory guidance. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. Occupation code: 29-9092.00.
Training connections: CIP 2020–SOC 2018 crosswalk. Snapshot: September 8, 2026. See the methodology.