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The differences between alcohol and drug counselors and program 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 program 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 $43,820 average annual salary of a program counselor.
The top three skills for an alcohol and drug counselor include patients, social work and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a program counselor are developmental disabilities, patients, and community integration.
| Alcohol And Drug Counselor | Program Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $45,758 | $43,820 |
| Hourly rate | $22.00 | $21.07 |
| Growth rate | - | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 77,461 | 133,491 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| 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 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.
Alcohol and drug counselors and program counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Alcohol And Drug Counselor | Program Counselor | |
| Average salary | $45,758 | $43,820 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $68,000 | Between $33,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | California | New York |
| Best paying company | Montage Health | Russell Sage College |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Health Care |
There are a few differences between an alcohol and drug counselor and a program counselor in terms of educational background:
| Alcohol And Drug Counselor | Program Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| 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 program counselors' demographics:
| Alcohol And Drug Counselor | Program Counselor | |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 37.5% Female, 62.5% | Male, 35.9% Female, 64.1% |
| 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% |