Clinician Career Paths
Support Chicago’s Students While Growing in Your Career
School Counselor
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School Social Worker
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School Psychologist
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School Counselor
As a CPS School Counselor, you’ll empower students to reach their full potential—academically, personally, and beyond. From guiding academic success and college/career planning to fostering social-emotional growth, you’ll provide the support students and families need to thrive. By collaborating with teachers, administrators, and the community, you’ll help shape bright futures and make a lasting impact inside and outside the classroom.
Minimum Qualifications:
Master's Degree in School Counseling
Current ISBE Professional Educator License (PEL) with a School Counseling Endorsement
School Psychologist
CPS School Psychologists assess and support students' learning, behavior, and mental health through evaluations, interventions, and collaboration with educators and families. With support from the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD), you’ll help identify needs early through screenings, administer diagnostic and curriculum-based assessments, and provide crucial crisis intervention. Whether offering individual or group support, CPS school psychologists make a meaningful impact on the well-being of students, school staff, and the broader community.
Minimum Qualifications:
A Master’s Degree in School Psychology from an accredited college or university
Current ISBE Professional Educator License (PEL) with a School Psychologist endorsement
Occupational Therapist
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Speech-Language Pathologist
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Audiologist
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Occupational Therapist
As a CPS Occupational Therapist, you’ll help students build the skills they need to succeed in school and daily activities. From improving fine motor skills and sensory processing to fostering self-regulation and independence in daily tasks, your work will make a lasting impact. By collaborating with educators and families, you’ll support students in reaching their full potential—one step at a time.
Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctoral degree in Occupational Therapy from an accredited program approved by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
Must pass the National Board Certification for Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam
Hold a current and active Illinois Occupational Therapist license issued by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulations (IDFPR). (Required every two years, with renewal due by December 31st of the renewal year.)
Speech-Language Pathologist
Communication is key to learning, connection, and confidence. As a CPS Speech-Language Pathologist, you’ll help students develop the skills they need to succeed. With support from the Office for Students with Disabilities, you’ll assess and support students with speech, language, and social communication challenges, tailoring interventions to their unique needs. Whether helping a child find their voice, improving language comprehension, or strengthening articulation, your expertise will empower students through the power of communication.
Minimum Qualifications:
A Master’s Degree in Communication Disorders or Speech Pathology from an accredited college or university
Current ISBE Professional Educator License (PEL) with a Speech-Language Pathologist endorsement
Hold a current and active Illinois Speech-Language Pathology license issued by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulations (IDFPR)
Audiologist
As a CPS Audiologist, you’ll play a vital role in ensuring students have access to clear and effective communication by identifying and managing hearing and auditory processing challenges. You’ll conduct assessments, fit and monitor hearing technology, provide assistive communication, and collaborate with educators and families to create supportive learning environments. By helping students overcome hearing barriers, you’ll help them fully engage in their education.
Minimum Qualifications:
Doctoral degree in Audiology from an accredited college or university
Current ISBE Professional Educator License (PEL)
Changemakers: CPS School-Based Clinicians
Every student deserves access to holistic care — from counseling to social work to psychology. We invite you to join our team helping Chicago students thrive.
Why Join Our Team?
You’ll Find Fulfillment While Making an Impact
Live and Work in A Rich Urban Setting
Chicago is more than a place to work—it’s a city of energy, culture, and connection. CPS clinicians not only support students from every walk of life—they also experience the richness of the city’s diverse neighborhoods, vibrant arts, and unmatched opportunities.
Interested in relocating to Chicago? CPS offers a clinician relocation stipend.
Competitive Salary and Benefits
At CPS, you’ll make a good living in a great city. We want to take care of you, so you can take care of our students. Our benefits packages are among the most competitive in the nation, and we value compensation transparency. Use our salary calculator to estimate your CPS compensation level.
Improved Work-Life Balance
Your schedule will be consistent and within school day and school year hours. Different from clinician careers in other settings, you can count on a traditional schedule, and therefore prioritize family, friends, and fun outside of work, too.
Positive Impact on Whole Student Wellness
CPS’ interdisciplinary team of clinicians play a vital role in fulfilling the district’s commitment to care for the whole child. We know the greatest academic and social achievements occur when all of a student’s needs are being met. If you share this belief and seek an impactful career that will make a difference, we encourage you to apply.
High Staff Retention
Hiring and retaining talented, diverse staff is a top priority to our team and the district. CPS is proud of our 95% percent staff retention rate for Mental Health Service Providers, as it’s reflective of the culture and dedication of our teams citywide.
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Professional Development & Growth
CPS cares about your growth and development and we want you to have a long and fruitful career here. Our clinician staff receive year-round professional development opportunities designed to support your growth, effectiveness, and impact. From a comprehensive, week-long kickoff training to ongoing learning opportunities, we are committed to helping you thrive.
We collaborate with key CPS departments to offer:
Expert-led assessment trainings
Two conference leave days per school year
ISBE-approved professional development credits
Specialized trainings on SEL, legal updates, crisis response, best practices, and more.
Plus, the district offers one of the most robust professional and leadership development programs in the nation, offering additional opportunities to learn and grow. Learn more at lead.cps.edu.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get my ISBE license?
To be hired as school support personnel at Chicago Public Schools, individuals must obtain a Professional Educator License (PEL) from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). ISBE classifies the following roles as school support personnel: School Social Workers, School Counselors, School Psychologists, School Nurses, and Speech-Language Pathologists. Illinois offers multiple paths to licensure for school support personnel.
Please review all options, requirements, and steps outlined here to find the path that best suits your circumstance.
I have my Master’s Degree but not my PEL—what should I do?
If you have a Master's Degree in Social Work and are pursuing a position as a School Social Worker at CPS, please begin by completing the required content test. Once that has been successfully completed, proceed with submitting an application for a Short Term Approval, which (if approved) will provide you with the ability to work in the role while you continue to fulfill any additional license requirements.
For candidates interested in other CPS clinician roles such as School Psychologist, Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP), or School Counselor, we recommend you visit the Illinois State Board of Education website – here you will find information regarding licensure requirements, application procedures, and other resources specific to each School Support Personnel Endorsement offered.
Be sure to review the Clinician Career Paths section where various CPS clinician roles are highlighted – including basic information about each role and the minimum requirements needed to apply.
I am an undergraduate college student—how can I prepare for a clinician career path?
Thank you for considering a career at CPS! Each clinician path requires different qualifications, so it is important to know what specific clinician path you are planning to take. Although clinicians can have similar responsibilities, each role plays a different and vital part at CPS.
While enrolled in a Bachelor’s program, you are encouraged to explore courses in each of the fields you are interested in pursuing. Talk with your college’s academic advisor to make sure you are in a major that aligns with your career goals.
You should also expect to earn a Master’s Degree if you are considering roles such as School Psychologist, School Counselor, School Social Worker, or Speech-Language Pathologist. Most clinician roles at CPS require specific licensure as well. Check out the Clinician Career Paths for position details and requirements.
What kind of residency requirements & waivers are there for clinicians?
Clinicians employed with Chicago Public Schools are not obligated to comply with the district’s standard residency requirements, which typically mandate that full-time employees reside within the city limits of Chicago.
While this specific requirement for in-city residency is waived for clinicians as detailed in the Residency Waiver, it is expected that they will maintain their primary residence within the State of Illinois throughout their employment with Chicago Public Schools.
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Have a specific question?
Meet Our Team and Apply
Fill out our Get Started form to connect with our Clinician Recruitment Team. We look forward to meeting you soon at one of our upcoming events!
Upcoming CPS Clinician Events
Check back soon for events!
Support for CPS school-based clinician recruitment and retention programs are provided in part by the U.S. Department of Education.