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Career advisor vs career coach

The differences between career advisors and career coaches can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a career coach has an average salary of $41,858, which is higher than the $40,067 average annual salary of a career advisor.

The top three skills for a career advisor include customer service, career development and professional development. The most important skills for a career coach are career development, professional development, and career services.

Career advisor vs career coach overview

Career AdvisorCareer Coach
Yearly salary$40,067$41,858
Hourly rate$19.26$20.12
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs72,53642,622
Job satisfaction35
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 62%Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Average age4242
Years of experience--

What does a career advisor do?

A career advisor inspects the clients' career uncertainties, concerns, and aspirations and guides them through the adjacent test completion, personality, and aptitude test completion. They review the clients' educational undertaking and personal undertakings and how their manifestation can affect their job choices. Besides proposing career options congruent with the clients' substantiated insights, career advisors also inform clients about their potential skill set shortcomings and devise strategies to correct these shortcomings. Moreover, career advisors advise clients on the right way to compile and present their resumes.

What does a career coach do?

A career coach is responsible for helping a person reach their career goals and development by identifying their strengths, weaknesses, and aspirations. Career coaches conduct one-on-one counseling with their clients to share career advice and support them for the professional path. They also build self-confidence in their clients and help them improve their relationship with other people. A career coach must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in mentoring their clients and managing career services according to their clients' needs.

Career advisor vs career coach salary

Career advisors and career coaches have different pay scales, as shown below.

Career AdvisorCareer Coach
Average salary$40,067$41,858
Salary rangeBetween $30,000 And $52,000Between $30,000 And $57,000
Highest paying CityLos Angeles, CAWashington, DC
Highest paying stateCaliforniaCalifornia
Best paying companyEmerson CollegeHartwick College
Best paying industryGovernmentUtilities

Differences between career advisor and career coach education

There are a few differences between a career advisor and a career coach in terms of educational background:

Career AdvisorCareer Coach
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 62%Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Career advisor vs career coach demographics

Here are the differences between career advisors' and career coaches' demographics:

Career AdvisorCareer Coach
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 34.1% Female, 65.9%Male, 29.5% Female, 70.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 3.7% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 3.7% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage11%11%

Differences between career advisor and career coach duties and responsibilities

Career advisor example responsibilities.

  • Develop and facilitate outplacement programs across healthcare, scientific research and higher education sectors.
  • Contract to provide MBTI workshops for corporations.
  • Identify personal abilities, individual strengths and transferable skills for government, private and non-profit sectors.
  • Perform system conversion from Quickbooks to Yardi accounting and property management software.

Career coach example responsibilities.

  • Offer EEO training to members at various sites.
  • Schedule clients for work readiness training base on their IEP.
  • Create and update PowerPoint presentations and trainers' notes to reflect current curriculum.
  • Develop and implement a successful process to streamline the intake and orientation for the WIA customers.
  • Plan events, such as college visits, alumni relations efforts, panel discussions, and college/career fairs
  • Conduct vocational rehabilitation assessments and create action steps and goals cater to the client in finding stable employment.
  • Show more

Career advisor vs career coach skills

Common career advisor skills
  • Customer Service, 12%
  • Career Development, 9%
  • Professional Development, 7%
  • Social Work, 6%
  • Career Services, 6%
  • Career Planning, 4%
Common career coach skills
  • Career Development, 10%
  • Professional Development, 8%
  • Career Services, 6%
  • Career Exploration, 5%
  • Social Work, 5%
  • Community Resources, 4%

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