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The differences between academic advisers and student mentors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an academic adviser has an average salary of $46,729, which is higher than the $33,392 average annual salary of a student mentor.
The top three skills for an academic adviser include customer service, student services and financial aid. The most important skills for a student mentor are role model, student life, and mathematics.
| Academic Adviser | Student Mentor | |
| Yearly salary | $46,729 | $33,392 |
| Hourly rate | $22.47 | $16.05 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 23,208 | 18,591 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
An academic adviser is responsible for managing the students' educational goals and future career aspirations by encouraging them to join scholastic activities, conducting one-on-one discussions to identify their challenges and areas of improvement, and developing educational plans to address possible difficulties. Academic advisers also monitor the students' interests and abilities for a career setting, track the students' progress, and create engaging activities to observe the students' personal and social behavior. An academic adviser must have excellent communication skills and extensive knowledge of teaching principles and disciplines to handle different personalities.
A student mentor is responsible for guiding the students on their educational and professional development by encouraging the students to reach their maximum potential, helping them with their study habits and academic concerns. Student mentors widen the social connection of the students by recommending them to join school activities and other educational organizations. They analyze the students' strengths and weaknesses and implement strategies to address those difficulties. A student mentor also advises the students of their potential careers, considering their interests and social experience.
Academic advisers and student mentors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Academic Adviser | Student Mentor | |
| Average salary | $46,729 | $33,392 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $62,000 | Between $23,000 And $48,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | New York Film Academy | Research Foundation of The City University of New York |
| Best paying industry | Government | Education |
There are a few differences between an academic adviser and a student mentor in terms of educational background:
| Academic Adviser | Student Mentor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between academic advisers' and student mentors' demographics:
| Academic Adviser | Student Mentor | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.3% Female, 64.7% | Male, 40.0% Female, 60.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 3.7% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 3.7% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |