Career Explorer Healthcare (clinical)
Grows with AI
Genetic counselors
Assess individual or family risk for a variety of inherited conditions, such as genetic disorders and birth defects. Provide information to other healthcare providers or to individuals and families concerned with the risk of inherited conditions. Advise individuals and families to support informed decisionmaking and coping methods for those at risk. May help conduct research related to genetic conditions or genetic counseling.
In the middle of the pack: more resilient than 40% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is very high (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it very high), and US jobs are projected to change by +10.4% by 2035, much faster than average. The work leans on emotional intelligence and ethical judgement.
AI can help with many of the tasks, and demand is still growing. Being fluent with AI is the edge here.
- Median pay (2025)
- $100,040
- Job growth to 2035
- +10.4%
- Openings a year
- 300
- People doing it (2025)
- 4,200
- Usual route in
- Master's degree
Where people already use AI for this work
- Explain medical information to patients or family members
- Analyze health or medical data
- Provide support or encouragement to others
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Confer with healthcare or other professionals about patient care
- Prepare health or medical documents
- Order medical tests or procedures
What the work looks like
- Provide counseling to patient and family members by providing information, education, or reassurance.
- Analyze genetic information to identify patients or families at risk for specific disorders or syndromes.
- Provide genetic counseling in specified areas of clinical genetics, such as obstetrics, pediatrics, oncology and neurology.
- Discuss testing options and the associated risks, benefits and limitations with patients and families to assist them in making informed decisions.
- Interview patients or review medical records to obtain comprehensive patient or family medical histories, and document findings.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
What the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects
- More of these jobs, as advances in genetic research and technology and the growing recognition of the role genetics plays in health increase the demand for genetic counseling services. This demand will be partially offset by the growing use of chatbots to handle routine tasks.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- PsychiatristsGrows with AI, Index 67, +7.2%
- Rehabilitation counselorsChanging shape, Index 48, +2.2%
- Healthcare social workersGrows with AI, Index 68, +8.5%
- Speech-language pathologistsGrows with AI, Index 77, +16.6%
Also known as: Certified Genetic Counselor (CGC), Clinical Genetic Counselor, Genetic Services Coordinator, Lab Genetic Counselor (Laboratory Genetic Counselor), Cardiovascular Genetics Counselor, Hereditary Cancer Program Coordinator, Medical Science Liaison, Pediatric Genetics Clinical Coordinator.
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.