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If you love reading astrology books and horoscopes, and you almost always want to find meanings and patterns in events that happen in your or other people’s lives, you have the qualities of someone who would make a good astrologer.
Despite us being in the age of information and digital technology, many people all over the world still look up to the stars for some sort of awareness of what’s to come.
As a professional astrologer, your feeling of what lies ahead can help many people make better decisions and find the right direction in their life’s journey.
The Lowdown
In simple terms, astrology is a type of divination or prophecy of events through interpreting the position of celestial bodies like the sun, the stars, the moon, and the planets.
Sadly, many people go to extremes by believing that astrology is designed to predict or change the future. It is a tool that reveals the possibilities surrounding a person’s endeavors, plans, and goals based on birth charts and the influence of the planets. It aims to enable individuals to make wise, conscious decisions to avoid mistakes.
Despite being practiced before the advent of science and technology, astrology is still accepted today by people of all nationalities and ages. In the US, more than 20% of men and over 30% of women believe in astrology or astrological readings.
How to Become an Astrologer
Becoming an astrologer can be a challenging venture because it doesn’t require formal training, and anybody can proclaim himself as an astrologer. It increases competition and tarnishes the credibility of real astrologers.
Unlike in other countries such as India, astrologers in the United States don’t need a formal education to read charts or do monthly horoscopes for clients or online audiences.
Currently, there is no definite path leading to a state-recognized astrological practice. It’s the reason why most astrology schools don’t have admission requirements for students to comply with. Besides, becoming an astrologer in the US can be done even without a certificate or diploma from a learning institution.
But to become a credible and respected astrologer and to be sure that you are doing the right stuff, you need to study astrology and learn to create birth charts. There are several ways to make it possible, and these include the following:
- Taking live astrological studies
- Enrolling in online astrology programs
- Getting a mentor
- Doing self-study and going to reputed professional astrological organizations for certification.
As a serious aspirant, you should strive to learn astrology by educating yourself. You may either pursue a degree in astrology or take relevant courses from a renowned astrological school to learn about birth charts, planetary positions, zodiac signs, event charts, and other topics.
Whether the schools are offering online classes or traditional in-person mentorship shouldn’t matter as long as it offers the value and convenience that you need. Completing the program will earn you a certificate that can prove your qualifications and competence to practice as a professional.
If you choose to do a self-study, some of the things you can do are read astrology books, buy a birth chart interpretation handbook, and watch weekly astrology podcasts from Chris Brennan.
He is a Colorado-based professional astrologist who hosts “The Astrology Podcast,” a weekly webcast program discussing the techniques, history, and philosophy of astrology.
4 Best Astrology Online Certification and Degree Programs
Studying astrology to fuel your passion and realize a dream career is a decision for fulfillment. Here are the five best schools that can help you become an astrologer:
Alanna K’s Alchemical Astrology School
New York, NY
Alchemical Astrology Certification Program
Mode of Delivery: Online, Self-Paced
Alanna K’s Alchemical Astrology Certification Program is a professional astrology certification course that you can learn at your own pace.
It is designed to provide you with everything you need to learn about becoming a successful astrologer and interpreting the position and movement of the stars and planets – to see the past, present, and future events in your or someone else’s life.
Standout Features:
- The course is easy to understand.
- It eliminates the challenges most students face when learning astrology.
- It streamlines the processes to enable you to easily learn astrology at your own pace.
- You will be awarded a professional certification upon successful completion of the program.
The Avalon School of Astrology
Gainesville, FL
Professional Astrology Certificate (PAC)
Mode of Delivery: Online, Self-Paced
The Professional Astrology Certificate program of the Avalon School of Astrology is a three-year curriculum that provides you with the competence to become a professional astrologer.
It uses vibrational astrology, an evidence-based system developed by the institution’s founder, David Cochrane. He is recognized as a leading astrologer globally.
Admission Requirements:
- Submission of a completed enrolment and application form.
- A copy of your college transcript, General Education Development (GED) certificate, or high school diploma.
- A completed application and enrollment Form.
Standout Features:
- The PAC aims to provide you with the knowledge, training, and skills you need to practice professional astrology in three years.
- It provides you with specific astrological software that you need to attain efficient astrological analysis.
- It aims to equip you with an advanced understanding of astrology that qualifies you for employment.
- It awards you with a PAC certificate after graduation. It makes you eligible to take the examination given by the International Society for Astrological Research (ISAR) to become a certified astrology professional.
Astrology University
Seattle, Washington
Professional Astrologer Training and Certification
Mode of Delivery:
- Online with Weekly live Q&A Sessions
- Online, Self-Paced
Astrology University delivers its Professional Astrologer Training and Certification program online, with one track offering weekly Q & A sessions and another track which is a fully online and self-paced program.
Both tracks are taught by the same instructors who will provide you with the core building blocks of Western astrological practice. Both tracks lead to the same professional astrologer certificate.
Standout Features:
- This astrologer training and certification program is a structured curriculum that exposes you to different ideas and methods of astrological education.
- It develops and hones your creativity and analytical skills.
- The curriculum is composed of several instructors who expose you to various astrological concepts.
- The program uses a hands-on approach to boost your creativity and confidence in doing astrology work.
- It offers scholarships available to deserving students from July 1 through August 10 each year.
Kepler College
Seattle, WA
The Kepler Professional Diploma in Astrology (KPDA)
Mode of Delivery: Online, Self-Paced
The Kepler Professional Diploma in Astrology (KPDA) is a three to four-year online astrological education program that can give you a comprehensive understanding of astrological principles and philosophies. The program consists of four major areas:
- Fundamentals of Natal Astrology
- Movement in Natal Astrology
- Chart Calculation, and
- Elective Study – a 25-week research project that you need to complete and submit for publication
For those who wish to gain expertise only in specific areas, you can enroll in any of these certificate programs:
- Fundamentals of Natal Astrology – Building your skills for Natal Chart interpretation
- Movement and Forecasting – It covers different methods of moving the chart in time.
- Alternate Traditions – It covers other astrological practices, including:
- Evolutionary Astrology
- Esoteric Astrology
- Hellenistic Astrology
- Uranian or Symmetrical Astrology
- Indian Astrology
- Medieval Astrology
- AstroMapping – Similar to Fung Shui, it is an approach that uses the Astrological chart to determine a good place to build a home or structure for a business.
- Astrological Counseling – This gives you a good understanding of people’s style and capacity of giving and receiving love and provides you with a solid foundation of the ethics of astrological counseling.
Standout Features:
- Kepler’s KPDA program provides you with a well-rounded knowledge of astrology via a comprehensive series of courses. Successful completion leads to the awarding of a diploma that qualifies you to take the ISAR and NCGR (National Council for Geocosmic Research) exams.
- Kepler’s certificate programs provide you with a deep understanding and expertise in a specific area of astrology in as short as 30 weeks. Upon completion, graduates are awarded a certificate.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I succeed as an astrologer?
Considering you have heeded our tips on becoming an astrologer, your next mission should be moving toward an effective and rewarding practice as a professional astrologer. Here are some pointers for your success:
Choose a career path that fits your interest.
Even before you have completed your astrology diploma or certification program, you should already have a determination of what type of astrologer’s work fits your interests, personality, and skills. You can either work as a horoscope writer, entertainer, or consultant for corporate clients.
If you are yet to make up your mind on the kind of astrologer you wish to be, look up the websites or social media pages of professional astrologists, or visit the places of professional astrologers in your locality and see what they do just to have an idea and some sense of direction.
Seek an apprenticeship in the office of an established professional astrologer.
Your abilities as a fresh astrologer may not be worth it without real-world experience. The best way to earn it is to seek out a professional who can allow you to work with them as an apprentice. This endeavor may not be easy because rejections are not uncommon.
But you should get this job done by all means because it is a major stage that you must go through to obtain professional qualifications. It doesn’t just give you experience; it allows you to find a mentor who can teach you some secrets most astrologers won’t even dare to say.
Get certified by an association of professional astrologers.
Several astrology groups or organizations in the United States can help you obtain a certificate. However, becoming a certified astrologer requires the completion of at least one exam and observed readings.
Being certified has lots of perks. It puts your name on the astrological map so clients will know you and choose you for their next project.
Some of the most respected astrological associations in the US include the American Federation of Astrologers (AFA), the National Council for Geocosmic Research (NCGR), the International Society for Astrological Research (ISAR), and the Organization for Professional Astrology (OPA).
Continue learning astrology.
Even if you are already certified, you should strive to continue learning through different training programs, journals, or educational resources such as the Chris Brennan astrology podcasts, Julia Parker books, and materials from the astrological societies you are affiliated with.
While you are committed to mastering one or two forms of astrology, understanding the other forms will be helpful. These are the most common forms of astrology that you need to know:
- Western Astrology – It’s the most popular form of astrology in Europe and America.
- Vedic Astrology – It is the form of astrology that originated in India. Many people consider Vedic astrology as Vedic science.
- Chinese Astrology – It is a type of astrology represented by 12 zodiac animals.
- Sidereal Astrology – This is another type of astrology that is popular in the East. It uses the visible sky as its zodiac system.
- Kabbalistic Astrology – It is a type of astrology that came out of Jewish mysticism.
Considered under the science-based astrology category are practical astrology, psychological astrology, and medical astrology.
Do not forget to connect with other astrologers. You can brainstorm and learn from each other. Remember, knowledge is power – even in astrology.
Open an Astrological Practice
If you are confident that you are competent enough to stand alone as a professional astrologer, you may now start practicing astrology professionally.
But before going out to find a place for your business, there are things that you need to accomplish to ensure that you can practice without glitches.
These include the following tips:
Make sure that astrology is legal in your locality.
If there are towns, cities, and states that outlaw astrology, make sure that your locality is not one of them. If it is prohibited in your place, you need to find a new location where astrology is allowed.
Find a place to practice your craft.
It can be your home, an office space, or any place where you can conveniently perform readings, give professional advice to clients or write horoscopes.
Your home can be an ideal place, especially if you’re just a beginner or offering online and client visitation services as a major source of your revenues.
Submit documentation if necessary.
If the practice of astrology is treated like a small business in your locality, you may need to secure a business permit to legitimize your operation.
Invest in astrological equipment.
The use of astrological tools like a computer, digital recorder, and astrological software is a must in modern astrological practice.
You must invest in these items to convey professionalism to clients and ensure fast and accurate results. Your observations and experiences as an apprentice can greatly help you to determine the equipment you need to have in your practice.
Establish reasonable and enticing rates.
Asking for high client rates as a beginner is a big turn-off for prospects. Establishing rates that create a balance between your rate and the bills that you need to pay plus some extra may attract more customers.
You can adjust the rates as your business and services get better.
Identify your clients and market your services.
A good client base is the lifeline of any business. You should build a good relationship with your clients and provide them with satisfactory services to earn their trust and loyalty.
When this happens, they will become your walking advertisers who will recommend you to their friends and relatives at no charge.
To get more clients, you may also market your services in metaphysical magazines or through local online advertising like Google Ads.
These may not cost much, and there are free local resources like Google My Business (GMB) that can help to make your business visible online. But you need to update it weekly to make your targeted clients aware that your business is active.
What qualifications should hopefuls have to become an astrologer?
In the United States, there is no standard requirements or official certifications that you need to comply with to become an astrologer.
Having a certificate from a reputable school or astrologers’ society, however, does help build your reputation and make a positive impact for you in the astrology community.
How much money do astrologers in the US make?
According to a US-based job placement service, the average astrologers make $69,867 annually.
However, these amounts have the potential to increase to approximately $80,000 as your popularity increases and you become more established in your profession.
Summary Points
- There is no shortage of individuals anticipating future events through their horoscopes. With that said, should you aspire to become a professional astrologer, you do have a market for your skills and abilities.
- Becoming a professional astrologer in the US doesn’t cost much because it doesn’t require high-level education.
- Again, you have to know that astrology cannot see or change the future, and it’s not purely all about reading charts. It also involves some degree of analysis of how the position of celestial bodies affects events in your life. What happens in your life in the future depends on your choices today.
- Astrology is an art that gives us an idea of the possibilities that lie ahead. We can use it as our essential guide to making the right choices and decisions to realize a plan or goal.
- While the future is uncertain, it is always good to have some indication of what could happen next. It can help to make us confident to make choices which is what life is all about.
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