Pre-Health Professions: Genetic Counselor

CAREER DESCRIPTION*

• National median salary: $98,910
• National projected career growth: 9%
• Many work in hospitals, physician offices, outpatient care centers, university medical centers, and diagnostic laboratories

TYPICAL EDUCATION**

• Years of School (including undergraduate): 6 years
• Average Entering GPA: 3.0
• Typical-entry level education: Bachelor’s Degree
• Average entering GPA nationally: 3.5
• All genetic counseling programs participate in a National Matching Service (NMS), electronic genetic counseling match.

COMPETITIVE STUDENTS ALWAYS...

• Maintain a competitive academic record, especially in the last 30 semester hours
• Gain experience in counseling or client advocacy
• Obtain direct patient care experience
• Obtain exposure to the field of genetic counseling
• Gain experience with crisis centers or individuals with disabilities
• Participate in laboratory/research

AREAS OF SPECIALTY

Clinical

• Pediatric
• Oncology
• Specialty

Laboratory

• Diagnostic Lab
• Research
• Education

NEARBY SCHOOLS

• University of Nebraska Medical Center
• Augustana University (Sioux Falls, SD)
• University of Minnesota
• University of Wisconsin-Madison
• University of Colorado-Denver

Prerequisites vary by program. Students are responsible for ensuring all entrance requirements are met.
Most schools prefer science classes to be taken in-person versus online.

UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER’S (UNMC) PREREQUISITES

Biological Sciences (minimum credits: 17)

Chemistry (minimum credits: 17)

• _{Any course in personal genomics will be useful as well.}
• _{AP, CLEP, DSST, and IB credit can count toward the general biology and chemistry requirements. These courses will not satisfy the genetics, biochemistry, statistics, or psychology requirements.}
  

Statistics (minimum credits: 3)

Psychology (minimum credits: 3)

Strongly Recommended Courses

_{*Data and information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics
**Data and information from UNMC
Last update: 9.2025}