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Career consultant vs academic adviser

The differences between career consultants and academic advisers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a career consultant has an average salary of $50,813, which is higher than the $46,729 average annual salary of an academic adviser.

The top three skills for a career consultant include career development, career planning and career exploration. The most important skills for an academic adviser are customer service, student services, and financial aid.

Career consultant vs academic adviser overview

Career ConsultantAcademic Adviser
Yearly salary$50,813$46,729
Hourly rate$24.43$22.47
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs30,21623,208
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 66%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age4242
Years of experience--

What does a career consultant do?

Career consultants are professionals trained to assist people with their career choice. The consultants help their clients in exploring career options then teach them how to search for a job. They provide professionals advice about their employment, training, and progression. They help their clients in exploring career options and search for jobs. It is their duty to administer their career assessments and teach them how to write a resume and resolve work-related issues. Also, they encounter uncertain futures and look for a fresh start.

What does an academic adviser do?

An academic adviser is responsible for managing the students' educational goals and future career aspirations by encouraging them to join scholastic activities, conducting one-on-one discussions to identify their challenges and areas of improvement, and developing educational plans to address possible difficulties. Academic advisers also monitor the students' interests and abilities for a career setting, track the students' progress, and create engaging activities to observe the students' personal and social behavior. An academic adviser must have excellent communication skills and extensive knowledge of teaching principles and disciplines to handle different personalities.

Career consultant vs academic adviser salary

Career consultants and academic advisers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Career ConsultantAcademic Adviser
Average salary$50,813$46,729
Salary rangeBetween $35,000 And $72,000Between $35,000 And $62,000
Highest paying CitySanta Clara, CAWashington, DC
Highest paying stateCaliforniaMassachusetts
Best paying companyOakland UniversityNew York Film Academy
Best paying industryEducationGovernment

Differences between career consultant and academic adviser education

There are a few differences between a career consultant and an academic adviser in terms of educational background:

Career ConsultantAcademic Adviser
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 66%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common majorBusinessPsychology
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Career consultant vs academic adviser demographics

Here are the differences between career consultants' and academic advisers' demographics:

Career ConsultantAcademic Adviser
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 34.2% Female, 65.8%Male, 35.3% Female, 64.7%
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 consultant and academic adviser duties and responsibilities

Career consultant example responsibilities.

  • Manage payroll, benefits and insurance administration.
  • Perform such duties as heavy data entry for TANF program.
  • Maintain a caseload of customer's that are receiving TANF and Medicaid to ensure compliance are kept for assistance.
  • Develop and facilitate outplacement programs across healthcare, scientific research and higher education sectors.
  • Require to travel and provide services in Raleigh, Fayette, and Nicholas counties.
  • Present instructional/DW PowerPoint presentations to students every last semester.
  • Show more

Academic adviser example responsibilities.

  • Coach and mentore students in determining optimal course of study to achieve specific career performance goals and certifications.
  • Interpret student records such as transcripts and IEP's.
  • Collect and analyze data for behaviors and IEP objectives.
  • Direct a team of four ESL teachers, implement school policies, teaching schedules, and activities clubs.
  • Organize all freshman and parent oreintation programs, assist in the freshman experience class, advise all undeclare students.
  • Create PowerPoint presentations used for curriculum development.
  • Show more

Career consultant vs academic adviser skills

Common career consultant skills
  • Career Development, 13%
  • Career Planning, 9%
  • Career Exploration, 9%
  • Career Services, 8%
  • Interview Preparation, 5%
  • Career Assessments, 4%
Common academic adviser skills
  • Customer Service, 9%
  • Student Services, 8%
  • Financial Aid, 7%
  • Professional Development, 6%
  • Support Services, 5%
  • Excellent Interpersonal, 5%

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