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The differences between advocates and counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an advocate has an average salary of $39,497, which is higher than the $36,225 average annual salary of a counselor.
The top three skills for an advocate include CPR, customer service and developmental disabilities. The most important skills for a counselor are patients, crisis intervention, and substance abuse.
| Advocate | Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $39,497 | $36,225 |
| Hourly rate | $18.99 | $17.42 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 74,970 | 77,536 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 2 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 12 | - |
An advocate is a voice for the voiceless. It is their responsibility to speak on behalf of an individual or a particular cause. Most of the duties will vary depending on the line of organization or duty involved; however, an advocate must have extensive knowledge or background on the subject matter. Furthermore, an advocate must be present at gatherings regarding the cause, assist in the negotiation and mediation processes involving contracts and legal documentation, provide or convey accurate information, and defend what they represent.
Often, counselors are known to be the go-to person in times we are in need of emotional and psychological support. They help people to manage and overcome the issues which affect their mental health and well-being. Counselors face different kind of situations which may involve trauma, addiction, disabilities, abuse, suicide, anger management, career, and even personal relationships. They provide care, counseling, rehabilitation, and support services. Every counseling requires collaborative effort both from the counselor and client to become effective.
Advocates and counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Advocate | Counselor | |
| Average salary | $39,497 | $36,225 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $58,000 | Between $19,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | - |
| Highest paying state | New York | California |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | - |
| Best paying industry | Government | Education |
There are a few differences between an advocate and a counselor in terms of educational background:
| Advocate | Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | SUNY at Binghamton | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between advocates' and counselors' demographics:
| Advocate | Counselor | |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 25.7% Female, 74.3% | Male, 38.5% Female, 61.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 21.7% Asian, 6.2% White, 54.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1% | Black or African American, 15.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 3.5% White, 63.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 9% |