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The differences between academic guidance specialists and academic counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an academic guidance specialist has an average salary of $50,630, which is higher than the $47,454 average annual salary of an academic counselor.
The top three skills for an academic guidance specialist include professional development, social work and student retention. The most important skills for an academic counselor are financial aid, academic support, and student services.
| Academic Guidance Specialist | Academic Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $50,630 | $47,454 |
| Hourly rate | $24.34 | $22.81 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 18,180 | 39,084 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
An academic guidance specialist conducts individual planning, interviews, and aptitude assessments to evaluate learners' interests and abilities. They identify issues affecting the student's performance, like not attending all classes. Besides working with parents, administrators, and teachers to help learners succeed, academic guidance specialists also help learners create a program to attain career goals and academic objectives. They help learners develop skills like effective learning habits, time management abilities, and organizational abilities. Moreover, these professionals maintain records as needed.
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.
Academic guidance specialists and academic counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Academic Guidance Specialist | Academic Counselor | |
| Average salary | $50,630 | $47,454 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $74,000 | Between $35,000 And $63,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Virginia |
| Best paying company | Michigan State University | California College of the Arts |
| Best paying industry | Education | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between an academic guidance specialist and an academic counselor in terms of educational background:
| Academic Guidance Specialist | Academic Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between academic guidance specialists' and academic counselors' demographics:
| Academic Guidance Specialist | Academic Counselor | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 31.7% Female, 68.3% | Male, 35.4% Female, 64.6% |
| 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% |