Financial Aid Student Services Counselor - Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships - UTK
Listed compensation
$45k
The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed
Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.
Job Description
The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) invites applications and nominations for our Financial Aid Student Services Counselor position.
We are seeking candidates who can contribute in meaningful ways to enhance the accessibility of higher education, fostering a diverse and inclusive academic environment, and improving the recruitment and graduation of our students.
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has been ranked by Forbes as one of America’s best large employers, as recognized on the 2025 list.
The minimum starting salary for this position is $45,000. Final compensation will be determined based on the candidate’s qualifications and experience.
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, has shaped leaders, changemakers, and innovative thinkers since its founding in 1794. The university is home to more than 38,000 students and 10,000 statewide employees—the Volunteers—who uphold the university’s tradition of lighting the way for others through leadership and service.
UT Knoxville offers over 900 programs of study across 14 degree-granting colleges and schools. As Tennessee’s flagship land-grant university, its footprint spans the entire state. The university holds the highest Carnegie classification for research activity and has deep partnerships with industry leaders and the US Department of Energy’s largest multidisciplinary laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
The Knoxville campus serves and recruits for UT Knoxville, including the Institute of Agriculture and the Space Institute, as well as the UT Institute of Public Service.
UT Knoxville considers its employees its number one asset. With values that focus on work-life balance, compensation, and innovation leadership, all Vols are supported to advance professionally.
Employees have access to career development and coaching, continued education, and an extensive list of development and training possibilities.
The Volunteer employee experience implements structures and practices to attract and retain top-tier talent, fostering a strong staff community and supporting a culture of involvement and engagement for everyone.
The university holds a strong commitment to its land-grant mission of learning and engagement, with a tradition of service and leadership that carries that Volunteer spirit throughout the state and around the world. It has been ranked nationally as “Best Employer for New Graduates,” “One of America’s Best Large Employers,” and “Best Workplace for Women,” and has been designated as “Best Place for Working Parents” by Forbes Magazine.
Apply today and join the Tennessee Volunteer community!
Key Responsibilities
This role involves serving as a Financial Aid Student Services Counselor, contributing to enhancing the accessibility of higher education and fostering an inclusive academic environment. The counselor will be responsible for improving student recruitment and graduation rates within the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.
Requirements
Candidates must possess a minimum of a High School diploma with 5 years of relevant experience, or an Associate degree with 3 years, or a Bachelor's degree with 1 year in higher education, customer service, or finance. Required abilities include excellent communication skills, sensitivity to cultural diversity, teamwork, data analysis, independent decision-making, and the capacity to work under time constraints.
Qualifications
- Education
- Bachelor degree
- Experience
- 2+ years of experience
Key Skills
Student Services — Counselor Career Context
Of the 50 active Counselor listings this role was benchmarked against, 32% are remote, 36% have no call, 64% require no weekends.
The cost-of-living index for Tennessee is 91.9 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$45k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $49k in an average-cost state. 58.6% of Tennessee clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
| Measure | This job | Market |
|---|---|---|
| Listed pay | $45k | Counselor median $73k (middle half $63k–$85k)292 comparable listings, Oct 2026 |
| Cost-of-living adjusted pay | ~$49k in purchasing power | Tennessee index 91.9 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) |
| Counselor listings in Tennessee | 276 active | 13,511 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026 |
| Work setting | on-site | peers: 32% remote · 36% no call · 64% no weekends50 benchmarked listings |
| Sign-on & loan repayment | not stated | Tennessee Counselor listings: 12% state a sign-on bonus (median $5k) · 9% offer loan repayment276 active listings, Oct 2026 |
| Counselor pay trend | +2.8% vs prior quarter | —through Sep 2026 |
Location & Logistics
Tennessee has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states. At the posted ~$45k midpoint, that is roughly $2k–$3k a year versus a typical 4–7% state rate.
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