Allied Health Counselling, Psychology, Social Work and Creative Therapy Professionals

How to become a Rehabilitation Counsellor

Assists people experiencing injuries, disabilities, health conditions and social disadvantage to achieve their personal, educational and vocational goals. Provides specialist counselling, rehabilitation and resource coordination services to maximise people's independence and inclusion in employment and other community settings.

Main tasks

Conducts assessments and evaluations to determine clients' psychosocial and cognitive ability, vocational interests and psychological wellbeing
Ascertains clients' functional capacity to develop appropriate rehabilitation plans
Works with clients in relation to their career, study or employment options by providing information and resources in these areas
Provides individual counselling to clients to address emotional and psychological challenges related to their injuries, disabilities, health conditions or social disadvantage
Assists clients, their family members, and other Professionals to develop rehabilitation plans
Assists people with disability and neurodivergent individuals to find suitable employment by collaborating with employers and clients to ensure reasonable adjustments and provision of ongoing support

Ways in

University: Social Work & Community degrees, Offered by 34 universities in Australia
TAFE and VET: Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs (CHC43215); Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work (CHC43515); Certificate IV in Personal Injury Management (FNS42120); Diploma of Counselling (CHC51015); Diploma of Mental Health (CHC53315); Diploma of Personal Injury and Disability Insurance Management (FNS51920); Diploma of Alcohol and Other Drugs (CHC53215)

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Typical full-time pay: $112,008 a year
About 34,000 people work in this job group now, and about 42,000 are projected by 2035. (+23.4%)
AI is likely to change parts of this job. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as medium.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Rehabilitation Counsellor?

Ways in include: Social Work & Community degrees; Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs; Certificate IV in Mental Health Peer Work.

How much does a Rehabilitation Counsellor earn in Australia?

Median full-time pay is $112,008 a year (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Is a Rehabilitation Counsellor a growing career in Australia?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 23% by 2035, from about 34,000 to about 42,000 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Do you need a degree to become a Rehabilitation Counsellor?

Usually. 88% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Rehabilitation Counsellor?

AI is likely to change parts of this job. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as medium.

Sources

Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
Australian Taxation Office: Taxation Statistics, Individuals Table 15A (2023-24), CC BY 2.5 AU, retrieved 2026-10-04

Updated 2026-10-04