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The differences between admissions counselors and admissions specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an admissions counselor has an average salary of $39,298, which is higher than the $36,140 average annual salary of an admissions specialist.
The top three skills for an admissions counselor include customer service, patients and social work. The most important skills for an admissions specialist are patients, customer service, and social work.
| Admissions Counselor | Admissions Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $39,298 | $36,140 |
| Hourly rate | $18.89 | $17.38 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 43,413 | 17,384 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
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.
An admissions specialist's main role is to provide timely, accurate, and complete evaluation service of academic credentials for incoming first-year and transferee students, as well as existing enrolled students. They serve as a vital member of the evaluation team to ensure a smooth and timely evaluation process. They also support the Office of Undergraduate Admissions in overall function from enrollment processing, application of student files, reviewing the transcript of records to evaluate academic credentials of incoming freshmen students, and transferee applicants.
Admissions counselors and admissions specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Admissions Counselor | Admissions Specialist | |
| Average salary | $39,298 | $36,140 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $50,000 | Between $27,000 And $46,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Rafael, CA | Fresno, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | California |
| Best paying company | School of Visual Concepts | Columbia University in the City of New York |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Health Care |
There are a few differences between an admissions counselor and an admissions specialist in terms of educational background:
| Admissions Counselor | Admissions Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between admissions counselors' and admissions specialists' demographics:
| Admissions Counselor | Admissions Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 38.6% Female, 61.4% | Male, 23.3% Female, 76.7% |
| 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% |