Standards/Competencies

Standards/Competencies

The Professional Standards for College & University Career Services

The cover of the NACE Professional Standards for College and University Career Services.

The Professional Standards for College and University Career Services


The NACE Professional Standards for College and University Career Services facilitate the creation, maintenance, and delivery of programs, resources, and services.

Developed for members by members, the Professional Standards offer career centers the opportunity to assess, develop, and enhance their operations by assessing operations along 13 dimensions.

Revised in 2019 by a task force of NACE member career services professionals, the Professional Standards provide the profession with a foundation on which to ensure excellence. The Professional Standards are free to all.

Companion Workbook: Evaluate Your Office Against the Standards

NACE members who wish to evaluate their career services offices against the standards can access a free copy of the companion workbook.

The workbook is also available to members in digital format.

Please note: Practitioners may also want to consider the standards provided by the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education, which can be used as a complement to the NACE Standards.

Revised 2019.