A Senior Student Assistance Counselor (SAC) typically handles the most complex school-based mental health and SUD cases while informally guiding newer SACs — clinical depth, systems navigation, and crisis-response presence.
Senior Student Assistance Counselor (Sac) pay typically runs $60K–$101K at this level.
Daily rhythm typically blends complex individual sessions, groups, classroom observations, and consultation with teachers and families. You'll often handle the toughest cases — significant suicidality, family violence, or treatment-resistant substance use. Crisis intervention happens regularly.
The dual context of clinical work inside a school intensifies — confidentiality, mandated reporting, and academic concerns intersect daily. Coordination with teachers, administrators, families, and outside therapists is constant. The school calendar shapes pacing in ways outpatient settings don't.
People who thrive here typically have clinical depth, comfort with brief intervention, strong systems navigation, and a coaching mindset. Patience with adolescent ambivalence and durable self-care habits usually matter more than any single therapeutic specialty.
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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 Social Services roles →A Senior Student Assistance Counselor (SAC) typically handles the most complex school-based mental health and SUD cases while informally guiding newer SACs — clinical depth, systems navigation, and crisis-response presence.
Median pay for a Senior Student Assistance Counselor (Sac) is about $60K nationally, with the field ranging roughly from $39K to $101K depending on experience, employer, and metro (BLS).
Core skills for this role include Speaking, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Social Perceptiveness, and Writing.
Most people in this role hold a master's degree.
Closely related roles include Student Assistance Counselor (SAC), Student Ministries Director, and Senior Addiction Therapist.
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