Admissions counselor vs student services counselor

The differences between admissions counselors and student services counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a student services counselor has an average salary of $41,175, 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 student services counselor are customer service, financial aid, and student services.

Admissions counselor vs student services counselor overview

	Admissions Counselor	Student Services Counselor
Yearly salary	$39,298	$41,175
Hourly rate	$18.89	$19.80
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	43,413	104,698
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 75%	Bachelor's Degree, 62%
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 a student services counselor do?

Student Services is a part of the school program that focuses on helping students in their studies. A Student Services Counselor handles this task and is the contact person for all students who need help or who have problems and issues requiring solutions and answers. In a culturally diverse population in schools, it is the student service counselor's job to connect each student to relevant student service programs available in the school. Ultimately, the welfare of the students and their success in school is the goal of this position.

Admissions counselor vs student services counselor salary

Admissions counselors and student services counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Admissions Counselor	Student Services Counselor
Average salary	$39,298	$41,175
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $50,000	Between $27,000 And $60,000
Highest paying City	San Rafael, CA	Boston, MA
Highest paying state	New Hampshire	New Jersey
Best paying company	School of Visual Concepts	Kern Community College District
Best paying industry	Professional	Government

Differences between admissions counselor and student services counselor education

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

	Admissions Counselor	Student Services Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 75%	Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Admissions counselor vs student services counselor demographics

Here are the differences between admissions counselors' and student services counselors' demographics:

	Admissions Counselor	Student Services Counselor
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 38.6% Female, 61.4%	Male, 33.9% Female, 66.1%
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, 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 student services counselor 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.

Student services counselor example responsibilities.

Assist in all aspects of the FAFSA, insuring that every eligible student apply accurately.
Verify FAFSA applications for accuracy.
Plan retention and recruitment opportunities for students, prospective employers and alumni through interdepartmental and professional cooperative efforts.
Create, construct and maintain a student info PowerPoint presentation.
Draft general email correspondence, introduction/thank you letters, excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations.
Develop formal policies/procedures for daily operations such as program approvals/tracking, financial tracking systems, staff meetings and leadership opportunities.

Admissions counselor vs student services counselor skills

Common admissions counselor skills

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

Common student services counselor skills

Customer Service, 18%
Financial Aid, 11%
Student Services, 10%
Social Work, 7%
Rehabilitation, 7%
Mental Health, 4%

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Admissions Counselor
Admissions Counselor vs Student Services Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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