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The differences between advocates and program counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become an advocate, becoming a program counselor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a program counselor has an average salary of $43,820, which is higher than the $39,497 average annual salary of an advocate.
The top three skills for an advocate include CPR, customer service and developmental disabilities. The most important skills for a program counselor are developmental disabilities, patients, and community integration.
| Advocate | Program Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $39,497 | $43,820 |
| Hourly rate | $18.99 | $21.07 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 74,970 | 133,491 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
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.
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.
Advocates and program counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Advocate | Program Counselor | |
| Average salary | $39,497 | $43,820 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $58,000 | Between $33,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | New York | New York |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | Russell Sage College |
| Best paying industry | Government | Health Care |
There are a few differences between an advocate and a program counselor in terms of educational background:
| Advocate | Program Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | SUNY at Binghamton | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between advocates' and program counselors' demographics:
| Advocate | Program Counselor | |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 25.7% Female, 74.3% | Male, 35.9% Female, 64.1% |
| 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, 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% |