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The differences between alcohol and drug counselors and community health counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an alcohol and drug counselor, becoming a community health counselor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an alcohol and drug counselor has an average salary of $45,758, which is higher than the $43,304 average annual salary of a community health counselor.
The top three skills for an alcohol and drug counselor include patients, social work and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a community health counselor are social work, behavioral health, and patients.
| Alcohol And Drug Counselor | Community Health Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $45,758 | $43,304 |
| Hourly rate | $22.00 | $20.82 |
| Growth rate | - | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 77,461 | 131,804 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A drug & alcohol counselor treats addicts in either one-on-one or group settings. They help by educating and developing possible treatment plans for patients to support them in coping with their addictive personalities. A drug and alcohol counselor will evaluate to determine the progress has been successfully made towards recovery. They help patients better understand and overcome their addictions. Counselors help through offering support, rehabilitation, and guidance by using various techniques. Drug & alcohol counselors seek to help an addict find the source of their addiction.
A community health counselor typically provides health and welfare support to the disadvantaged members of a community. Their responsibilities revolve around devising strategies to reach out to community members, coordinating with schools and other institutions, and building positive relationships with the communities that they serve. They may also provide counseling sessions to individuals of all ages, conduct observations and assessments, perform interventions, and identify any signs of abuse or neglect, reporting to the authorities right away. Furthermore, they may refer families or individuals to other social services unit if necessary.
Alcohol and drug counselors and community health counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Alcohol And Drug Counselor | Community Health Counselor | |
| Average salary | $45,758 | $43,304 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $68,000 | Between $29,000 And $63,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Montage Health | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Health Care |
There are a few differences between an alcohol and drug counselor and a community health counselor in terms of educational background:
| Alcohol And Drug Counselor | Community Health Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between alcohol and drug counselors' and community health counselors' demographics:
| Alcohol And Drug Counselor | Community Health Counselor | |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 37.5% Female, 62.5% | Male, 31.4% Female, 68.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 4.6% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | 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 | 12% | 15% |