Genetic Counselor
HealthcareYou help people understand genetic test results and the implications for their health and their family's future. You'll interpret complex genomic data, explain inherited disease risks, and support patients through decisions that are deeply personal — like whether to test for a condition that has no treatment, or what a carrier result means for family planning. The science is cutting-edge. The conversations are ancient — life, death, and what we pass to our children.
Salary Range
Low
$65k
Median
$90k
High
$120k
10-Year Growth
much faster
US Workers
5K
Education
Master's in genetic counseling from an accredited program + board certification (ABGC)
Environment
indoor
Tools & Technical Skills
- ▸Genetic test interpretation (NGS panels, whole exome/genome sequencing)
- ▸Pedigree construction and risk assessment
- ▸Hereditary cancer syndrome counseling (BRCA, Lynch)
- ▸Prenatal and reproductive genetics
- ▸Genetic database and variant classification (ClinVar, OMIM)
- ▸ABGC board certification requirements
People & Mindset Skills
- ▸Empathetic patient counseling
- ▸Clear communication of probabilistic risk
- ▸Ethical sensitivity around genetic information
- ▸Cultural competency
- ▸Emotional composure delivering difficult news
Learn the skills
Courses and certifications to get you job-ready
Genetic database and variant classification (ClinVar, OMIM)
What you'll actually do
- 01Interpret genetic test results that are often probabilistic, not definitive, and explain them to patients who want certainty
- 02Counsel patients on hereditary cancer syndromes, carrier status, and prenatal findings that change the course of a pregnancy
- 03Construct three-generation family pedigrees that reveal patterns nobody in the family had connected before
- 04Coordinate with oncologists, OB-GYNs, and pediatricians who order genetic tests but need you to explain the results
- 05Navigate the ethical complexities of genetic information — who to tell, what to test for, and when knowing is worse than not knowing
- 06Support patients through emotional decisions that no amount of scientific training fully prepares you for
Related Shifts
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