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The differences between academic counselors and lead counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a lead counselor has an average salary of $178,478, which is higher than the $47,454 average annual salary of an academic counselor.
The top three skills for an academic counselor include financial aid, academic support and student services. The most important skills for a lead counselor are legal advice, litigation, and work ethic.
| Academic Counselor | Lead Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $47,454 | $178,478 |
| Hourly rate | $22.81 | $85.81 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 39,084 | 74,247 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
In high schools and universities, an academic counselor specializes in providing counseling and consultations to students, focusing on their educational and career growth. They typically meet with students to discuss their short and long term goals and help by providing them with insights and information or referring them to other services and resources. Moreover, an academic counselor must assist students by addressing their issues and concerns, giving them emotional support and academic advice, and helping them navigate through various procedures.
A Lead Counselor is responsible for the management of patients' mental health and rehabilitation services. Often, they help them to recover from a tragic or traumatic kind of situation. They also help the patient cope with family and job-related stress and other personal issues. They teach other staff and especially clients to educate them in dealing with stress management and eventually monitor their progress. This person should also have strong written and verbal communication skills.
Academic counselors and lead counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Academic Counselor | Lead Counselor | |
| Average salary | $47,454 | $178,478 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $63,000 | Between $100,000 And $315,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Los Angeles, CA |
| Highest paying state | Virginia | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | California College of the Arts | MDI |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | - |
There are a few differences between an academic counselor and a lead counselor in terms of educational background:
| Academic Counselor | Lead Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Business | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between academic counselors' and lead counselors' demographics:
| Academic Counselor | Lead Counselor | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.4% Female, 64.6% | Male, 41.6% Female, 58.4% |
| 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% |