Genetic Counselor
NicheAlso known as: Clinical Geneticist Counselor, Genomic Counselor
Help patients and families understand genetic test results, assess inherited disease risk, and make informed decisions about their health and family planning.
Salary Range
The highest-paid specialization or seniority level for genetic counselors.
About 1 in 7 reaches this level
About 6K genetic counselors in the US; BLS top 10% earn $137K+. Directors of genetic counseling programs and those in pharma/biotech can reach $145K. 15% reflects the growing field where director-level roles are becoming more common.
Salary data based on 2025 BLS, Glassdoor, and industry reports. Actual compensation varies by location, experience, and employer.
How to Become One
This career typically requires a master's degree. Here are the top colleges for it:
AI Risk Assessment
AI is automating the analytical core — variant interpretation tools automate over 60% of guideline criteria, AlphaGenome scores variant impact in seconds, and AI systems filter scientific literature that counselors once reviewed manually for hours. Emotional counseling and psychosocial support stay human. But one AI-assisted counselor handles roughly double the caseload, and entry-level roles focused on data interpretation are narrowing. BLS still projects 29% growth.
Sources
Ratings reflect a 10-year outlook based on 2025-2026 research, weighted toward entry-level impact. Individual outcomes will vary.
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