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The differences between assessment specialists and clinical counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an assessment specialist and a clinical counselor. Additionally, an assessment specialist has an average salary of $64,402, which is higher than the $54,191 average annual salary of a clinical counselor.
The top three skills for an assessment specialist include social work, patients and edition. The most important skills for a clinical counselor are social work, patients, and foster care.
| Assessment Specialist | Clinical Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $64,402 | $54,191 |
| Hourly rate | $30.96 | $26.05 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 90,625 | 146,133 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An assessment specialist is an administrative professional who is responsible for designing and conducting assessment tests for a variety of academic clients. Assessment specialists are required to coordinate and implement the student testing program, which includes assessing an individual child's needs, potentials, and limitations. They must monitor special education or talent and gifted (TAG) staff to ensure that objectives are met. Assessment specialists must also need to know state laws and federal that pertain to educational assessments.
A Clinical Counselor interviews clients to assess their mental health and behavioral problems. They examine issues such as substance abuse, depression, stress, aging and self-image.
Assessment specialists and clinical counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Assessment Specialist | Clinical Counselor | |
| Average salary | $64,402 | $54,191 |
| Salary range | Between $47,000 And $86,000 | Between $43,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | Trenton, NJ | Bethesda, MD |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Maryland |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | Novo Nordisk |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Professional |
There are a few differences between an assessment specialist and a clinical counselor in terms of educational background:
| Assessment Specialist | Clinical Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between assessment specialists' and clinical counselors' demographics:
| Assessment Specialist | Clinical Counselor | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 31.6% Female, 68.4% | Male, 28.4% Female, 71.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 3.1% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | 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 | 15% | 15% |