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Child care counselor vs group counselor

The differences between child care counselors and group 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 care counselor and a group counselor. Additionally, a group counselor has an average salary of $40,155, which is higher than the $36,843 average annual salary of a child care counselor.

The top three skills for a child care counselor include CPR, child care and behavioral issues. The most important skills for a group counselor are mental health, patients, and crisis intervention.

Child care counselor vs group counselor overview

Child Care CounselorGroup Counselor
Yearly salary$36,843$40,155
Hourly rate$17.71$19.31
Growth rate9%9%
Number of jobs100,53884,413
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 62%Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Average age4241
Years of experience44

What does a child care counselor do?

Child care counselors monitor the progress of children who have behavioral, physical, and mental issues in between counseling appointments. These counselors create daily schedules for children that include field trips, play dates, and learning plans to ensure that children get the most out of their days. They use their critical thinking skills, organizational skills, and interpersonal skills to deal with children diagnosed with psychological issues and to coordinate with their patients' families. Most of the cases they handle are the abuse, bullying, and past traumas of children.

What does a group counselor do?

A group counselor provides counseling services primarily in a group setting, aiming to provide clients with a supportive and healthy environment where they can work on different issues and reach personal goals. They typically conduct research and assessments, establish program objectives and guidelines, arrange various activities, and facilitate positive interactions to support one another. Additionally, a group counselor has the duty to implement policies and standards, create treatment plans, and optimize strategies to ensure clients receive optimal support and services.

Child care counselor vs group counselor salary

Child care counselors and group counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

Child Care CounselorGroup Counselor
Average salary$36,843$40,155
Salary rangeBetween $28,000 And $47,000Between $14,000 And $110,000
Highest paying CityChicago, IL-
Highest paying stateNew Jersey-
Best paying companyWashington State University-
Best paying industryFinance-

Differences between child care counselor and group counselor education

There are a few differences between a child care counselor and a group counselor in terms of educational background:

Child Care CounselorGroup Counselor
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 62%Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Most common majorPsychologyPsychology
Most common collegeSUNY at AlbanyCalifornia State University - Long Beach

Child care counselor vs group counselor demographics

Here are the differences between child care counselors' and group counselors' demographics:

Child Care CounselorGroup Counselor
Average age4241
Gender ratioMale, 34.4% Female, 65.6%Male, 40.8% Female, 59.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 13.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 2.7% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%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 Percentage10%15%

Differences between child care counselor and group counselor duties and responsibilities

Child care counselor example responsibilities.

  • Train in managing risk and restraining only when need, CPR, and first aid.
  • Remain non-denominational, open, flexible and ecumenical in service to patients while also providing additional resources from local spiritual communities.
  • Organize and lead regular youth and college bible studies, teaching about prayer and promoting spirituality.

Group counselor example responsibilities.

  • Administer first aid and CPR when need.
  • Develop leadership skills while training younger counselors.
  • Execute leadership skills by planning and facilitating activities.
  • Work towards empowering juveniles and their families to support a positive lifestyle by providing strength base intensive intervention and rehabilitation services.
  • Provide behavior modification and social skills training to children and adolescents with ADHD and other behavioral and emotional disorders.

Child care counselor vs group counselor skills

Common child care counselor skills
  • CPR, 21%
  • Child Care, 20%
  • Behavioral Issues, 11%
  • Crisis Intervention Techniques, 8%
  • Direct Supervision, 6%
  • Mental Health, 5%
Common group counselor skills
  • Mental Health, 23%
  • Patients, 21%
  • Crisis Intervention, 8%
  • Social Work, 8%
  • Rehabilitation, 7%
  • Group Therapy Sessions, 5%

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