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The differences between admissions specialists and school counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a school counselor has an average salary of $49,904, which is higher than the $36,140 average annual salary of an admissions specialist.
The top three skills for an admissions specialist include patients, customer service and social work. The most important skills for a school counselor are mental health, community resources, and crisis intervention.
| Admissions Specialist | School Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $36,140 | $49,904 |
| Hourly rate | $17.38 | $23.99 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 17,384 | 91,275 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
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.
A school counselor is responsible for monitoring the students' social and personal development, advising them of their career aspirations, and assisting them with their academic achievements and goals. School counselors also ensure that the students receive the highest learning standards to pave their way towards society's advancement and global competitiveness. They evaluate students' behavior through personal counseling, understanding their challenges, and develop strategies to overcome their needs. A school counselor must have excellent communication and decision-making skills, supporting students with their goals, and honing their skills efficiently.
Admissions specialists and school counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Admissions Specialist | School Counselor | |
| Average salary | $36,140 | $49,904 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $46,000 | Between $36,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fresno, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Columbia University in the City of New York | The Gow School |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Education |
There are a few differences between an admissions specialist and a school counselor in terms of educational background:
| Admissions Specialist | School Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Business | School Counseling |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between admissions specialists' and school counselors' demographics:
| Admissions Specialist | School Counselor | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 23.3% Female, 76.7% | Male, 26.1% Female, 73.9% |
| 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% |