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The differences between alcohol and drug counselors and licensed professional 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 licensed professional counselor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a licensed professional counselor has an average salary of $94,675, which is higher than the $45,758 average annual salary of an alcohol and drug counselor.
The top three skills for an alcohol and drug counselor include patients, social work and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a licensed professional counselor are patients, social work, and LPC.
| Alcohol And Drug Counselor | Licensed Professional Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $45,758 | $94,675 |
| Hourly rate | $22.00 | $45.52 |
| Growth rate | - | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 77,461 | 153,612 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Master's Degree, 48% |
| 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 licensed professional counselor is a healthcare professional who specializes in providing therapy and counseling to patients with emotional and mental health issues. They listen to their patients and utilize various techniques to address concerns and help through the healing procedures. Their duties entail conducting interviews and evaluations, performing research and assessments, studying the patients' medical histories, providing consultations, and developing treatment plans that suit every patients' needs. Additionally, a licensed professional counselor monitors and records their patients' progress, adjusting treatments and medications as necessary.
Alcohol and drug counselors and licensed professional counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Alcohol And Drug Counselor | Licensed Professional Counselor | |
| Average salary | $45,758 | $94,675 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $68,000 | Between $73,000 And $122,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | California | New York |
| Best paying company | Montage Health | Bloomberg |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Real Estate |
There are a few differences between an alcohol and drug counselor and a licensed professional counselor in terms of educational background:
| Alcohol And Drug Counselor | Licensed Professional Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Master's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between alcohol and drug counselors' and licensed professional counselors' demographics:
| Alcohol And Drug Counselor | Licensed Professional Counselor | |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 37.5% Female, 62.5% | Male, 28.8% Female, 71.2% |
| 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% |