Certified rehabilitation counselor vs mental health counselor

The differences between certified rehabilitation counselors and mental health counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a certified rehabilitation counselor, becoming a mental health counselor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a mental health counselor has an average salary of $49,471, which is higher than the $42,200 average annual salary of a certified rehabilitation counselor.

The top three skills for a certified rehabilitation counselor include rehabilitation, CRC and behavioral health. The most important skills for a mental health counselor are social work, patients, and crisis intervention.

Certified rehabilitation counselor vs mental health counselor overview

	Certified Rehabilitation Counselor	Mental Health Counselor
Yearly salary	$42,200	$49,471
Hourly rate	$20.29	$23.78
Growth rate	11%	9%
Number of jobs	62,803	110,752
Job satisfaction	-	2
Most common degree	Master's Degree, 47%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age	45	41
Years of experience	12	4

Certified rehabilitation counselor vs mental health counselor salary

Certified rehabilitation counselors and mental health counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Certified Rehabilitation Counselor	Mental Health Counselor
Average salary	$42,200	$49,471
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $55,000	Between $34,000 And $70,000
Highest paying City	-	Longview, WA
Highest paying state	-	Washington
Best paying company	-	Family Life Counseling & Psychiatric Services
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between certified rehabilitation counselor and mental health counselor education

There are a few differences between a certified rehabilitation counselor and a mental health counselor in terms of educational background:

	Certified Rehabilitation Counselor	Mental Health Counselor
Most common degree	Master's Degree, 47%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common major	Rehabilitation Science	Psychology
Most common college	Boston University	California State University - Long Beach

Certified rehabilitation counselor vs mental health counselor demographics

Here are the differences between certified rehabilitation counselors' and mental health counselors' demographics:

	Certified Rehabilitation Counselor	Mental Health Counselor
Average age	45	41
Gender ratio	Male, 30.4% Female, 69.6%	Male, 31.4% Female, 68.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 13.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 2.9% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7%	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	21%	15%

Differences between certified rehabilitation counselor and mental health counselor duties and responsibilities

Certified rehabilitation counselor example responsibilities.

Collaborate with institutions of higher learning and local organizations to help assign veterans achieve independent living and academic success.
Authorize and coordinate rehabilitation services and developing work plans, providing vocational counseling rehabilitative assessment and placement of individuals with disabilities.
Complete referral application using rehabilitation technology.
Complete referral application using rehabilitation technology.

Mental health counselor example responsibilities.

Provide clinical consultation to consumers and clients regarding manage care services and other benefits available to them through their EAP programs.
Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
Certify in CPI (crisis intervention technique).
Assist with crisis intervention, (CPI) maintains treatment activities.
Provide mental health assessment and evaluation of detainees refer by facility staff or identify by pre-screening (booking or nursing).
Assess for special needs during booking process.

Certified rehabilitation counselor vs mental health counselor skills

Common certified rehabilitation counselor skills

Rehabilitation, 49%
CRC, 32%
Behavioral Health, 9%
Vocational Assessments, 5%
Vocational Rehabilitation, 1%
Assess Client, 1%

Common mental health counselor skills

Social Work, 17%
Patients, 16%
Crisis Intervention, 9%
Patient Care, 6%
Mental Health Issues, 5%
Rehabilitation, 4%

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Certified Rehabilitation Counselor
Certified Rehabilitation Counselor vs Mental Health Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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