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City attorney vs housing counselor

The differences between city attorneys and housing 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 city attorney and a housing counselor. Additionally, a city attorney has an average salary of $102,836, which is higher than the $78,730 average annual salary of a housing counselor.

The top three skills for a city attorney include litigation, legal research and legal advice. The most important skills for a housing counselor are litigation, in-house counsel, and social work.

City attorney vs housing counselor overview

City AttorneyHousing Counselor
Yearly salary$102,836$78,730
Hourly rate$49.44$37.85
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs10,58333,639
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeDoctoral Degree, 51%Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Average age4646
Years of experience44

What does a city attorney do?

A city attorney typically works for the government and focuses on giving legal advice to city leaders when it comes to various matters that affect the city. Their responsibilities include maintaining knowledge of the latest changes in state and federal laws, helping city officials and staff understand procedures, drafting and reviewing contracts and laws, and performing extensive research and analysis. There are also instances when a city attorney may provide legal advice to citizens and even represent government agencies.

What does a housing counselor do?

A Housing Counselor works directly with clients and organizations to support moderate and low-income clients in overcoming barriers to housing and financial stability. They represent the homeowner in interventions and/or mediation proceedings with the mortgage servicer, lender, and/or other stakeholders.

City attorney vs housing counselor salary

City attorneys and housing counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

City AttorneyHousing Counselor
Average salary$102,836$78,730
Salary rangeBetween $66,000 And $158,000Between $42,000 And $144,000
Highest paying CityRedwood City, CAGlen Cove, NY
Highest paying stateCaliforniaConnecticut
Best paying companyIcma-rcPREIT
Best paying industryFinanceManufacturing

Differences between city attorney and housing counselor education

There are a few differences between a city attorney and a housing counselor in terms of educational background:

City AttorneyHousing Counselor
Most common degreeDoctoral Degree, 51%Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Most common majorLawLaw
Most common collegeStanford UniversityStanford University

City attorney vs housing counselor demographics

Here are the differences between city attorneys' and housing counselors' demographics:

City AttorneyHousing Counselor
Average age4646
Gender ratioMale, 53.4% Female, 46.6%Male, 38.2% Female, 61.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 5.7% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 6.5% White, 75.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%Black or African American, 5.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 75.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage10%10%

Differences between city attorney and housing counselor duties and responsibilities

City attorney example responsibilities.

  • Handle diverse general litigation practice in construction defect, product liability, contracts, municipal law and anti-discrimination enforcement.
  • Order subpoenas, certify driving records and accident reports.
  • Oversee responses to subpoenas, government requests and public records requests.
  • Provide counsel and advice to DHS employees regarding statutes, regulations, and policies that govern the child welfare system.
  • Prosecute civil service appeals of discipline city employees.
  • Represent departments in grievance appeals and arbitration proceedings.
  • Show more

Housing counselor example responsibilities.

  • Manage day-to-day legal affairs of NYSE list airline.
  • Engage in own practice focusing on estate planning and probate with some business planning.
  • Assist senior counsel in all aspects of litigation management including factual investigation, document preparation, and trial preparation and support.
  • Draft legal correspondence, exhibits, and discovery documents in the fields of probate, family law and contract dispute issues.
  • Explain family obligations according to HUD procedures and explain family responsibilities regarding rent amounts.
  • Educate consumers who are interest in purchasing a home by providing HUD approve individualized credit and budget counseling.
  • Show more

City attorney vs housing counselor skills

Common city attorney skills
  • Litigation, 11%
  • Legal Research, 10%
  • Legal Advice, 7%
  • Legal Issues, 5%
  • Municipal Law, 4%
  • District Court, 4%
Common housing counselor skills
  • Litigation, 10%
  • In-House Counsel, 8%
  • Social Work, 8%
  • Regulatory Compliance, 5%
  • Crisis Intervention, 5%
  • Real Estate, 4%