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The differences between admissions counselors and program counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a program counselor has an average salary of $43,820, 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 a program counselor are developmental disabilities, patients, and community integration.
| Admissions Counselor | Program Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $39,298 | $43,820 |
| Hourly rate | $18.89 | $21.07 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 43,413 | 133,491 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
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.
A Program Counselor is an essential part of a school's faculty. It's the counselor's responsibility to ensure that students are benefiting from the school's educational curriculum. This person is also tasked to help students resolve issues and problems that may hinder any educational progress. They are also part of the disciplinary team intended to instill good morals, ethics, and decency in students. The Program Counselor is one of the teacher or professor who has expertise or has a high educational degree in a particular subject or field.
Admissions counselors and program counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Admissions Counselor | Program Counselor | |
| Average salary | $39,298 | $43,820 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $50,000 | Between $33,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Rafael, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | New York |
| Best paying company | School of Visual Concepts | Russell Sage College |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Health Care |
There are a few differences between an admissions counselor and a program counselor in terms of educational background:
| Admissions Counselor | Program Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Business | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between admissions counselors' and program counselors' demographics:
| Admissions Counselor | Program Counselor | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 38.6% Female, 61.4% | Male, 35.9% Female, 64.1% |
| 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, 11.3% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 3.2% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 15% |