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The differences between career counselors and counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a career counselor has an average salary of $44,870, which is higher than the $36,225 average annual salary of a counselor.
The top three skills for a career counselor include career development, career services and professional development. The most important skills for a counselor are patients, crisis intervention, and substance abuse.
| Career Counselor | Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $44,870 | $36,225 |
| Hourly rate | $21.57 | $17.42 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 42,035 | 77,536 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 2 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A career counselor specializes in assisting clients in their career-related decisions. Utilizing their expertise in career development, they typically meet with clients to discuss their short-term and long-term goals, identify their needs and concerns, conduct different aptitude tests and examinations, organize skills assessment procedures, and provide strategies to improve or enhance their skills and abilities. Aside from providing consultations, a career counselor may also assist clients in processing and establishing their resumes, supporting them every step of the way.
Often, counselors are known to be the go-to person in times we are in need of emotional and psychological support. They help people to manage and overcome the issues which affect their mental health and well-being. Counselors face different kind of situations which may involve trauma, addiction, disabilities, abuse, suicide, anger management, career, and even personal relationships. They provide care, counseling, rehabilitation, and support services. Every counseling requires collaborative effort both from the counselor and client to become effective.
Career counselors and counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Career Counselor | Counselor | |
| Average salary | $44,870 | $36,225 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $60,000 | Between $19,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | Los Angeles, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | Columbia University in the City of New York | - |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Education |
There are a few differences between a career counselor and a counselor in terms of educational background:
| Career Counselor | Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between career counselors' and counselors' demographics:
| Career Counselor | Counselor | |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.4% Female, 57.6% | Male, 38.5% Female, 61.5% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 15.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 3.5% White, 63.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 9% |