When cancer runs in a family, you help people make sense of their inherited risk — interpreting genetic tests, explaining what the results mean, and guiding hard decisions about screening and prevention. Science delivered with deep human care.
The work centers on risk assessment and interpreting genetic results — taking detailed family histories, ordering and explaining tests, and supporting people through frightening information. You work alongside oncologists and patients, and much of the skill is translating uncertainty into something usable — a number, a choice, a next step — without overwhelming someone already scared.
What's harder than it looks is holding the emotional weight session after session — you deliver news that reshapes lives and futures. The science changes fast, demanding constant learning, and insurance and access add friction. The role spans hospitals, cancer centers, and increasingly telehealth, each with its own caseload and pace of cases to carry.
It tends to fit someone scientifically sharp, deeply empathetic, and emotionally steady. If you need quick closure or clinical distance, the emotional load can wear. But if you find real meaning in helping people understand their bodies and make informed choices in a frightening moment, the work tends to be profoundly worthwhile.
Your job belongs to your employer.
Your career belongs to you.
Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.
It's your career.
Take the wheel.
Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.
Roles with similar work and overlapping career paths
View all Healthcare roles →When cancer runs in a family, you help people make sense of their inherited risk — interpreting genetic tests, explaining what the results mean, and guiding hard decisions about screening and prevention. Science delivered with deep human care.
Median pay for a Cancer Genetic Counselor is about $99K nationally, with the field ranging roughly from $79K to $138K depending on experience, employer, and metro (BLS).
Core skills for this role include Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Complex Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, and Writing.
Most people in this role hold a master's degree.
Employment in this field is projected to grow about 9.3% through 2034, with roughly 3,510 people working in it today (BLS).
Closely related roles include Genetic Counselor, Genetics Counselor, and Certified Genetic Counselor.
Your job belongs to your employer.
Your career belongs to you.