Admissions counselor vs academic adviser

The differences between admissions counselors and academic advisers 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 $39,298 average annual salary of an admissions counselor.

The top three skills for an admissions counselor include customer service, patients and social work. The most important skills for an academic adviser are customer service, student services, and financial aid.

Admissions counselor vs academic adviser overview

	Admissions Counselor	Academic Adviser
Yearly salary	$39,298	$46,729
Hourly rate	$18.89	$22.47
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	43,413	23,208
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 75%	Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	-	-

What does an admissions counselor do?

An admissions counselor is the primary point of contact between a university or college and their potential students. One of their primary responsibilities is to represent the school during various events for recruitment purposes, discuss the admission procedures to the students and their families through calls or appointments, and facilitate university tours and orientation among prospective students. Furthermore, they must gather applicants' requirements, verify their authenticity, and determine if they are qualified for the institution. They may also decide student admissions, all while adhering to the college's policies and guidelines.

What does an academic adviser do?

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.

Admissions counselor vs academic adviser salary

Admissions counselors and academic advisers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Admissions Counselor	Academic Adviser
Average salary	$39,298	$46,729
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $50,000	Between $35,000 And $62,000
Highest paying City	San Rafael, CA	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	New Hampshire	Massachusetts
Best paying company	School of Visual Concepts	New York Film Academy
Best paying industry	Professional	Government

Differences between admissions counselor and academic adviser education

There are a few differences between an admissions counselor and an academic adviser in terms of educational background:

	Admissions Counselor	Academic Adviser
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 75%	Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common major	Business	Psychology
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Admissions counselor vs academic adviser demographics

Here are the differences between admissions counselors' and academic advisers' demographics:

	Admissions Counselor	Academic Adviser
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 38.6% Female, 61.4%	Male, 35.3% Female, 64.7%
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%

Differences between admissions counselor and academic adviser duties and responsibilities

Admissions counselor example responsibilities.

Manage applicant and student files electronically within CampusVue software.
Verify insurance HMO, Medicare or Medicaid.
Assist in PV's marketing efforts by reaching out to alumni and community.
Evaluate transcripts, convert quarterly hours to semester hours as necessary, and calculate the GPA.
Receive and execute hundreds of phone calls and e-mails daily from students and parents inquiring about CSU.
Give campus tours to prospective students and families; make phone calls to incoming students for CSU events and admissions follow-up.

Academic adviser example responsibilities.

Coach and mentore students in determining optimal course of study to achieve specific career performance goals and certifications.
Interpret student records such as transcripts and IEP's.
Collect and analyze data for behaviors and IEP objectives.
Direct a team of four ESL teachers, implement school policies, teaching schedules, and activities clubs.
Organize all freshman and parent oreintation programs, assist in the freshman experience class, advise all undeclare students.
Create PowerPoint presentations used for curriculum development.

Admissions counselor vs academic adviser skills

Common admissions counselor skills

Customer Service, 14%
Patients, 13%
Social Work, 8%
Admissions Process, 6%
Phone Calls, 4%
Financial Aid, 4%

Common academic adviser skills

Customer Service, 9%
Student Services, 8%
Financial Aid, 7%
Professional Development, 6%
Support Services, 5%
Excellent Interpersonal, 5%

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Admissions Counselor vs Academic Adviser

Updated January 8, 2025

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