Child and family therapist vs family counselor

The differences between child and family therapists and family counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a child and family therapist and a family counselor. Additionally, a child and family therapist has an average salary of $55,339, which is higher than the $41,510 average annual salary of a family counselor.

The top three skills for a child and family therapist include social work, diagnosis and mental health. The most important skills for a family counselor are social work, community resources, and POC.

Child and family therapist vs family counselor overview

	Child And Family Therapist	Family Counselor
Yearly salary	$55,339	$41,510
Hourly rate	$26.61	$19.96
Growth rate	14%	14%
Number of jobs	120,152	93,253
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Master's Degree, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	4	4

What does a child and family therapist do?

Child and family therapists are therapists who specialize in treating traumatized children due to neglect or abuse. They always formulate various techniques and activities to treat their patients and help improve the affected family's quality of living while maintaining confidentiality and following HIPAA laws and agency policies and procedures. During treatment, they monitor the progress of their patients and adjust the treatment accordingly. They also train youth counselors to maintain open communication with their families to know the cause and resolve problems faster.

What does a family counselor do?

A Family Counselor treats married couples or family members in order to help them overcome mental or emotional problems. They provide effective treatment measures to help the family members resolve their issues.

Child and family therapist vs family counselor salary

Child and family therapists and family counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Child And Family Therapist	Family Counselor
Average salary	$55,339	$41,510
Salary range	Between $37,000 And $81,000	Between $27,000 And $62,000
Highest paying City	San Rafael, CA	New York, NY
Highest paying state	Alaska	New York
Best paying company	Everymind (formerly Mental Health Association Of Montgomery County)	Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
Best paying industry	Finance	Professional

Differences between child and family therapist and family counselor education

There are a few differences between a child and family therapist and a family counselor in terms of educational background:

	Child And Family Therapist	Family Counselor
Most common degree	Master's Degree, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	California State University - Long Beach

Child and family therapist vs family counselor demographics

Here are the differences between child and family therapists' and family counselors' demographics:

	Child And Family Therapist	Family Counselor
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 19.2% Female, 80.8%	Male, 26.3% Female, 73.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 4.6% White, 68.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 4.6% White, 68.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between child and family therapist and family counselor duties and responsibilities

Child and family therapist example responsibilities.

Develop and lead DBT base therapy groups for children and adolescents in residential treatment.
Train in HIPAA as well as an understanding of BCBA professional standards.
Create, implement, and monitor behavior programs under supervision of a BCBA.
Conduct psychological testing for social security disability, vocational rehabilitation, and hospital inpatient populations.
Perform occasional psychosocial rehabilitation services.
Perform occasional psychosocial rehabilitation services.

Family counselor example responsibilities.

Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
Assist the clients in completing their DCF case plan, helping to remove any hindrances they may encounter.
Counsele and test patients who requesting confidential HIV testing services
Collaborate and coordinate patient care with resident/faculty physicians to provide appropriate levels of care to patients.
Receive and process referrals from DCF and community-base case managers for individuals suspect as substance abusers.
Utilize PowerPoint presentations to facilitate ongoing new student orientation, ensuring students understand rules and regulations.

Child and family therapist vs family counselor skills

Common child and family therapist skills

Social Work, 21%
Diagnosis, 8%
Mental Health, 6%
Individual Therapy, 6%
Community Resources, 5%
Behavioral Health, 5%

Common family counselor skills

Social Work, 22%
Community Resources, 13%
POC, 7%
Family Support, 5%
Family Therapy, 5%
DOD, 4%

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Community and Social Services Industry
Child And Family Therapist
Child And Family Therapist vs Family Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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