Credit Counselors
Also called: Accredited Financial Counselor, Certified Credit Counselor, Financial Coach, Housing CounselorAdvise and educate individuals or organizations on acquiring and managing debt. May provide guidance in determining the best type of loan and explain loan requirements or restrictions. May help develop debt management plans or student financial aid packages. May advise on credit issues, or provide budget, mortgage, bankruptcy, or student financial aid counseling.
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What the data says: AI could halve the time on 21 of its 23 tasks, yet jobs are projected to grow 3.3% by 2035. In the most exposed occupations, the squeeze shows up first among early-career workers. How to think about this →
About this projection
BLS builds AI into its projections where the research supports it: “BLS generally applies adjustments based on this research conservatively, where there is convincing evidence for a change.”
It also notes a limit: “BLS projection methods are not designed to capture extremely rapid technological change.”
On its AI exposure groups, BLS says exposure “does not imply job loss.”
Recent conditions
- In 2024, 2.8% of people in this work were unemployed, against 3.8% across all occupations Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Credit counselors and loan officers”
- From Sep 2025 to Aug 2026, 7.8 hires for every 10 job openings in private educational services, which employs about 56% of people in this work, against 7.3 across all industries BLS JOLTS
One box per opening, filled for each hire; hires beyond the openings are added in a lighter shade. Higher can mean openings get filled, or that people leave often; lower, that jobs go unfilled, or hiring is slow.7.8 this industry7.3 all industries
Median pay by state BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
Tap a state for its figures.
Median pay in every state
| State | Median | Middle half earn | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $48,120 | $44,920 to $57,660 | not published |
| Arizona | $51,480 | $47,770 to $60,140 | 980 |
| Arkansas | $45,060 | $37,860 to $57,980 | 50 |
| California | $67,120 | $56,040 to $81,860 | 2,160 |
| Colorado | $57,130 | $49,620 to $63,460 | 360 |
| Connecticut | $54,710 | $45,050 to $65,420 | 100 |
| Delaware | $52,840 | $49,020 to $75,980 | 40 |
| District of Columbia | $63,580 | $58,670 to $81,800 | 110 |
| Florida | $46,300 | $43,420 to $52,900 | 2,410 |
| Georgia | $64,080 | $48,560 to $64,080 | 460 |
| Idaho | $51,130 | $47,350 to $65,310 | 90 |
| Illinois | $51,930 | $46,220 to $60,760 | 1,170 |
| Indiana | $48,180 | $38,030 to $58,330 | 740 |
| Iowa | $48,130 | $43,880 to $50,730 | 440 |
| Kentucky | $48,150 | $42,340 to $58,190 | 220 |
| Louisiana | $47,250 | $43,070 to $55,070 | 130 |
| Maine | $55,490 | $48,330 to $62,630 | 170 |
| Maryland | $60,450 | $52,210 to $64,680 | 350 |
| Massachusetts | $63,240 | $53,340 to $79,350 | 770 |
| Michigan | $52,160 | $47,380 to $60,470 | 1,260 |
| Minnesota | $62,160 | $53,310 to $66,290 | 580 |
| Mississippi | $45,990 | $37,070 to $48,730 | 210 |
| Missouri | $30,580 | $29,110 to $47,190 | not published |
| Nebraska | $62,510 | $50,970 to $80,650 | 260 |
| Nevada | $55,480 | $49,640 to $64,020 | 170 |
| New Hampshire | $58,830 | $48,570 to $67,230 | 170 |
| New Jersey | $57,180 | $45,370 to $62,370 | 530 |
| New Mexico | $50,390 | $41,870 to $63,110 | 200 |
| New York | $63,030 | $53,390 to $79,370 | 2,020 |
| North Carolina | $46,180 | $40,250 to $60,500 | 320 |
| North Dakota | $52,220 | $51,360 to $58,520 | 30 |
| Ohio | $51,160 | $47,160 to $60,780 | 890 |
| Oklahoma | $46,950 | $40,310 to $51,620 | 230 |
| Oregon | $59,150 | $49,990 to $68,600 | 280 |
| Pennsylvania | $58,330 | $47,160 to $70,700 | 1,110 |
| Puerto Rico | $50,010 | $28,190 to $61,660 | not published |
| Rhode Island | $58,480 | $49,600 to $75,050 | 130 |
| South Carolina | $53,190 | $43,490 to $60,210 | 250 |
| South Dakota | $48,890 | $45,400 to $49,760 | not published |
| Tennessee | $38,730 | $37,530 to $64,700 | 950 |
| Texas | $48,220 | $39,240 to $57,140 | 3,950 |
| Utah | $51,330 | $46,850 to $78,900 | 190 |
| Virginia | $51,550 | $47,280 to $60,230 | 760 |
| Washington | $62,360 | $57,780 to $75,130 | 560 |
| West Virginia | $45,860 | $40,250 to $48,890 | 150 |
| Wisconsin | $52,140 | $47,430 to $62,410 | 770 |
| Wyoming | $42,580 | $33,420 to $49,840 | 40 |
Nationally: $52,230. Shades run from the lowest state median to the highest; a territory below that range takes the lightest. How to read this
How AI touches the work
What AI could speed up, task by task, and where people already use it.
AI could halve the time on 21 of its 23 tasks
| AI rating | Its main tasks | Share of Claude conversations May 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| AI + software | Create debt management plans, spending plans, or budgets to assist clients to meet financial goals. | 0.01% |
| AI + software | Assess clients' overall financial situations by reviewing income, assets, debts, expenses, credit reports, or other financial information. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Calculate clients' available monthly income to meet debt obligations. | Not published |
| Not much | Recommend strategies for clients to meet their financial goals, such as borrowing money through loans or loan programs, declaring bankruptcy, making budget adjustments, or enrolling in debt management plans. | Not published |
| AI + software | Prioritize client debt repayment to avoid dire consequences, such as bankruptcy or foreclosure or to reduce overall costs, such as by paying high-interest or short-term loans first. | under 0.01% |
| AI alone | Recommend educational materials or resources to clients on matters, such as financial planning, budgeting, or credit. | under 0.01% |
See all 23 tasks
| AI + software | Review changes to financial, family, or employment situations to determine whether changes to existing debt management plans, spending plans, or budgets are needed. | Not published |
| AI alone | Explain general financial topics to clients, such as credit report ratings, bankruptcy laws, consumer protection laws, wage attachments, or collection actions. | 0.01% |
| AI + software | Interview clients by telephone or in person to gather financial information. | Not published |
| AI + software | Estimate time for debt repayment, given amount of debt, interest rates, and available funds. | under 0.01% |
| AI alone | Advise clients or respond to inquiries about financial matters in person or via phone, email, Web site, or Internet chat. | 1.37% |
| AI + software | Maintain or update records of client account activity, including financial transactions, counseling session notes, correspondence, document images, or client inquiries. | Not published |
| AI alone | Explain services or policies to clients, such as debt management program rules, advantages and disadvantages of using services, or creditor concession policies. | under 0.01% |
| AI alone | Prepare written documents to establish contracts with or communicate financial recommendations to clients. | 0.04% |
| AI alone | Advise clients on housing matters, such as housing rental, homeownership, mortgage delinquency, or foreclosure prevention. | 0.04% |
| AI alone | Refer clients to social service or community resources for needs beyond those of credit or debt counseling. | Not published |
| AI alone | Teach courses or seminars on topics, such as budgeting, management of personal finances, or financial literacy. | under 0.01% |
| AI alone | Explain loan information to clients, such as available loan types, eligibility requirements, or loan restrictions. | under 0.01% |
| AI + software | Create action plans to assist clients in obtaining permanent housing via rent or mortgage programs. | Not published |
| AI + software | Conduct research to help clients avoid repossessions or foreclosures or remove levies or wage garnishments. | Not published |
| AI alone | Negotiate with creditors on behalf of clients to arrange for payment adjustments, interest rate reductions, time extensions, or payment plans. | Not published |
| AI + software | Investigate missing checks, payment histories, held funds, returned checks, or other related issues to resolve client or creditor problems. | Not published |
| Not much | Disburse funds from client accounts to creditors. | Not published |
Ordered by how important O*NET's respondents rate each task (1 to 5) times the share who say it is part of their job. The ordering is ours. 12 of the 23 have a published share of Claude conversations; “not published” means too few conversations for Anthropic to publish a figure.
Where people already use AI
The tasks above say what AI could speed up. This shows what people are using it for. Its 23 tasks fall under 14 work activities that many occupations share, and Microsoft counted how often each one came up in 200,000 conversations with its Copilot assistant in 2024.
- #3 Respond to customer problems or inquiries
- #12 Explain regulations, policies, or procedures
- #24 Assist others to access additional services or resources
- and 2 more, in the table below
| Work activity | This occupation's tasks under it | People asked AI for help in 10,000 conversations |
AI did it for them in 10,000 conversations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explain financial information | |||
| Develop financial or business plans | |||
| Advise others on financial matters | |||
| Calculate financial data | |||
| Evaluate condition of financial assets, property, or other resources | |||
| Respond to customer problems or inquiries | |||
| Explain regulations, policies, or procedures | |||
| Assist others to access additional services or resources |
Show all 14 activities
| Prepare documentation for contracts, applications, or permits | |||
| Execute financial transactions | |||
| Interview people to obtain information | |||
| Examine financial activities, operations, or systems | |||
| Prepare financial documents, reports, or budgets | |||
| Negotiate contracts or agreements |
How people in this work use Claude
What people in this work made with Claude % of conversations
- Advice or a recommendation28%
- An explanation or answer25%
- An analysis or summary11%
- A document or report8%
- A plan or strategy7%
How they worked with Claude
19% of these conversations were about work. Anthropic Economic Index, May 2026.
How to read this
Work activities come from O*NET, which links every task to the broader activities it involves. Microsoft's figures are for the activity across everyone who used Copilot, not for credit counselors specifically. Copilot is a general chat assistant; dedicated coding tools are not included, so programming help is under-counted here. Activities are listed by how many of this occupation's tasks fall under them.
The task ratings say whether AI could halve the time a task takes: on its own (“AI alone”), or with software built on it (“AI + software”). They were made by people in 2023 (Eloundou et al.). Claude's share is the task's share of all Claude.ai conversations in May 2026; Anthropic doesn't publish a task with too few conversations. None of these add up to the BLS exposure group, which combines five research measures.
More in the Guide: task ratings · task order · work activities · Copilot figures · Claude
High exposure doesn't mean fewer jobs
BLS projects most occupations in its two most exposed groups to grow: 141 of 206 rated Very high and 165 of 206 rated High. Each dot is one of the 831 occupations BLS rates.
Career moves into and out of this occupation
From moves between occupations found in online resumes, 2002–2016. Career changes only: a first job after school isn't a move.
Where people moved next
of 45,409 moves out
- 1 Customer Service Representatives Very high -5.3% 6%
- 2 Managers, All Other (2010 group) an older group BLS has since split; no exposure group today 5%
- 3 Education Administrators, Postsecondary High +1.8% 4%
- 4 Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products Very high -0.9% 4%
- 5 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive Very high -6.0% 3%
Where people moved in from
of 37,239 moves in
- 1 Customer Service Representatives Very high -5.3% 11%
- 2 Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products Very high -0.9% 4%
- 3 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive Very high -6.0% 3%
- 4 Bill and Account Collectors Very high -10.4% 3%
- 5 Retail Salespersons Very high -0.3% 3%
Resumes over-represent younger, white-collar job-seekers and moves into management. Schubert, Stansbury and Taska (resume data).
Education and training for the occupation
Census survey (American Community Survey)
- 1% less than high school
- 14% high school
- 21% some college
- 10% associate's
- 41% bachelor's
- 11% master's
Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Credit counselors and loan officers” · 3,379 people surveyed.
Median pay by highest degree full-time, year-round · Census ACS 2024, all workers in the Census group “Credit counselors and loan officers”
3 programs: Banking and Financial Support Services, Financial Planning and Services and Credit Management.
Jobs that require a credential BLS Occupational Requirements Survey 2023
8.3% this occupation
45.3% all occupations
| By kind | This occupation | All occupations |
|---|---|---|
| a certification | <0.5% | 5.8% |
| an educational certificate | <0.5% | 2.8% |
| a license | not published |
Share of jobs whose employer requires it. BLS doesn't say which credential. How to read this
Look up certifications, training and licenses U.S. Department of Labor
- Certification Finder ↗ certifications CareerOneStop lists for this occupation
- Training Finder ↗ schools and programs, nationwide; narrow the place there
- License Finder ↗ licenses by state
- Apprenticeships: DOL's list of apprenticeable occupations doesn't include this one.
These open in a new tab and send only the occupation's public code. More in the Guide
BLS AI exposure categories (Aug 2026) · BLS Employment Projections 2025–35 · O*NET 31.0 · Task ratings: Eloundou et al., Science (2024) · Microsoft "Working with AI" v1.1 · Anthropic Economic Index (2026-06-26) · Schubert, Stansbury and Taska · NCES CIP–SOC · Census ACS 2024 · BLS JOLTS · Brynjolfsson, Chandar and Chen, Stanford (Aug 2026)
See it online, and explore any career: https://www.pathmosaic.com/card/13-2071.00