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The differences between alcohol and drug counselors and group 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 group 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 $40,155 average annual salary of a group counselor.
The top three skills for an alcohol and drug counselor include patients, social work and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a group counselor are mental health, patients, and crisis intervention.
| Alcohol And Drug Counselor | Group Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $45,758 | $40,155 |
| Hourly rate | $22.00 | $19.31 |
| Growth rate | - | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 77,461 | 84,413 |
| 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 group counselor provides counseling services primarily in a group setting, aiming to provide clients with a supportive and healthy environment where they can work on different issues and reach personal goals. They typically conduct research and assessments, establish program objectives and guidelines, arrange various activities, and facilitate positive interactions to support one another. Additionally, a group counselor has the duty to implement policies and standards, create treatment plans, and optimize strategies to ensure clients receive optimal support and services.
Alcohol and drug counselors and group counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Alcohol And Drug Counselor | Group Counselor | |
| Average salary | $45,758 | $40,155 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $68,000 | Between $14,000 And $110,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | California | - |
| Best paying company | Montage Health | - |
| Best paying industry | Professional | - |
There are a few differences between an alcohol and drug counselor and a group counselor in terms of educational background:
| Alcohol And Drug Counselor | Group 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 group counselors' demographics:
| Alcohol And Drug Counselor | Group Counselor | |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 37.5% Female, 62.5% | Male, 40.8% Female, 59.2% |
| 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% |