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Boston Career Explorer

Business and Financial Operations

Credit Counselors

Advise 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.

Also called: Accredited Financial Counselor, Budget Credit Counselor, Certified Consumer Credit and Housing Counselor, Certified Credit Consultant, Certified Credit Counselor, Certified Financial Coach

Median pay in Greater Boston
$64,080
$30.81/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
620
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+3.0%
60 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
Bachelor's degree
plus Moderate-term on-the-job training

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$44,730$57,790$64,080$80,340$97,800

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Create debt management plans, spending plans, or budgets to assist clients to meet financial goals.
  • Assess clients' overall financial situations by reviewing income, assets, debts, expenses, credit reports, or other financial information.
  • Calculate clients' available monthly income to meet debt obligations.
  • 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.
  • Advise clients or respond to inquiries about financial matters in person or via phone, email, Web site, or Internet chat.
  • Explain general financial topics to clients, such as credit report ratings, bankruptcy laws, consumer protection laws, wage attachments, or collection actions.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Higher exposure94 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 95
  • Language-model AIOE 90
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 98

Observed AI use today: Substantial (Anthropic Economic Index)

Credit counseling has higher AI exposure, and observed AI use is already substantial. AI tools can help with reviewing credit reports, calculating monthly income, and building draft budgets or answering routine questions by chat. Talking with clients about money stress and helping them choose a path still depends on people. Massachusetts job growth is projected at 3.0%.

Likely to change

  • Reviewing credit reports and income figures
  • Drafting budgets and debt management plans

Still relies on people

  • Building trust with clients under financial stress
  • Guiding clients through big decisions like bankruptcy

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

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Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

4 programs near Boston

Related occupations

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