Astrology has been around for thousands of years, but it’s basking in a major pop culture moment right now. Horoscopes are enjoying unprecedented levels of readership and astrology offers plenty of meme fodder. But what if you’re an enthusiast delving into charts, planets, asteroids, and aspects and you still want more? Becoming an astrologer may become your logical next step in taking a passion and building your life’s work around it.

First Things First: Pursuing Your Passion

The Astrology Podcast offers some useful advice for beginners interested in pursuing astrology as a career. In a 2015 episode, astrologer Kelly Surtees stressed reading, discussion, and study as three essential keys to learning the art. Surtees recommends using free online resources to glean information plus reading beginner-level astrology books, studying birth charts, and talking to other astrologers.

Astrology Education and Training

As you’ve probably guessed, you don’t need a college degree to become an astrologer. However, you do need a solid education to learn its principles and practices. Prospective Canadian astrologers are in luck, thanks to the Canadian Association for Astrological Education. The CAAE’s astrology curriculum includes nine courses: basic, intermediate, and advanced astrology, plus special topics like synastry, chart construction, and electional astrology. Level 1, 2, and 3 courses require passing examinations, while others require submitting completed assignments or projects to successfully pass. Each student receives a CAAE diploma upon completion.

The CAAE is one of Canada’s largest professional astrology organizations, but there’s also the International Society for Astrological Research. ISAR’s certification program comes with its own education and skill requirements: skills training courses, electives, and a competency exam. ISAR offers a wide range of electives on topics such as sidereal astrology, classical astrology, mythology, and asteroids. Each graduate of the ISAR program receives a Certification of Astrological Proficiency and is considered ISAR certified. ISAR is headquartered in the United States but has members from all over the world.

Kepler College is another U.S.-based institution, offering both a certificate program and a professional diploma. Classes are delivered online, and the institution offers scholarships for potential students with financial need. The professional and advanced professional programs require around three to four years to complete, and graduates can immediately take ISAR’s certification exams.

One Field, Many Possible Paths

Once you’re a newly minted astrologer, you have many potential career choices. Some pursue apprenticeships at first, learning under senior professionals before starting practices of their own. The Organization for Professional Astrology explains that apprenticeships allow you to gain experience with the benefit of mentorship and feedback. To get an apprenticeship, you may need to reach out to professional astrologers yourself or check for apprenticeship programs if you’re in a certificate or diploma program. Making connections while you’re studying in school can be invaluable, as they could lead to apprenticeship opportunities down the road.

Many astrologers open professional practices providing charts and readings for clients. However, many other possibilities exist. Remember those educational electives? Pursuing any of those subjects in depth can gain you a useful specialization and you could become a subject matter expert. This area of specialization can help you out in private practice or instructing others. There’s also content creation. The Atlantic’s Julie Beck reports that horoscope readership has exploded, and an astrologer with honed writing skills and a unique voice can find both a willing audience and a lucrative career.

A Spiritual Career With Physical Rewards

Work can and should be rewarding – not just for your bank balance, but for your personal satisfaction. Motivated by their desire to gain knowledge and help others, astrologers enter the field and pursue a wide range of career paths. With education available and many possible opportunities, an astrology career can offer both tangible and intrinsic benefits to dedicated professionals.