GCGenetic Counselor
GC
Career

Genetic Counselor

By the numbers
Typical pay
$100,040 / yr
Education to start
Master's degree
Future demand
+9.3% by 2034
People in this job
4K
Figures shown for ·1 O*NET occupation
The work
A day, hour by hour
08:00
Chart prep

Pull up today's patient files; flag complex cases needing extra time.

08:30
Team huddle

Quick sync with oncologists and OBs — align on shared patients.

09:00
Prenatal consult

Draw the family tree, walk parents through trisomy risk numbers.

10:30
Results delivery

Sit with a patient and explain what a BRCA positive result actually means.

12:00
Case notes & letters

Write up findings; draft summary letters for referring physicians.

13:00
Afternoon consult

Help a patient weigh testing options — no pushing, just clear tradeoffs.

14:30
Uncertain result

A variant of unknown significance — decide whether to act or wait.

15:30
Care coordination

Loop in the broader team; arrange follow-up testing and specialist referrals.

16:15
Literature review

Scan new research; the field moves fast and yesterday's guidance can shift.

Things you do
  • Sit with families and explain what a genetic test result actually means.
  • Draw out a family tree to spot inherited disease patterns across generations.
  • Calculate a patient's personal risk of developing or passing on a condition.
  • Help patients decide whether to get tested — without pushing them either way.
  • Deliver hard news about genetic diagnoses and support the emotional fallout.
Decisions you’ll make
  • Is this patient ready to hear these results, or do I slow down?
  • Should I share a finding that could devastate the whole family, or protect this patient's privacy?
  • Is this test result truly alarming, or is the uncertainty too high to act on?
  • Do I push back on this patient's decision, or respect their choice and let it go?
  • Should I loop in the rest of the care team now, or handle this myself first?
Education Pathways · how you get there
100 in 100 went the college route · 0 in 100 found another way in None, typically
Education mapped from O*NET:Genetic Counselors · 98% related
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