Clinical psychologist vs clinical counselor

The differences between clinical psychologists and clinical counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a clinical psychologist, becoming a clinical counselor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a clinical psychologist has an average salary of $97,659, which is higher than the $54,191 average annual salary of a clinical counselor.

The top three skills for a clinical psychologist include patients, rehabilitation and clinical psychology. The most important skills for a clinical counselor are social work, patients, and foster care.

Clinical psychologist vs clinical counselor overview

	Clinical Psychologist	Clinical Counselor
Yearly salary	$97,659	$54,191
Hourly rate	$46.95	$26.05
Growth rate	14%	17%
Number of jobs	69,762	146,133
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 42%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Average age	43	41
Years of experience	2	4

What does a clinical psychologist do?

A clinical psychologist is a healthcare professional who treats patients with various mental disorders through one-on-one or group settings. Clinical psychologists assist their patients in identifying their psychological, emotional, or behavioral issues so that a plan of action is created to help patients achieve personal and social development. To create a patient treatment plan, clinical psychologists must interview their patients who have different mental problems. They also collaborate with professionals such as social workers, nurses, and occupational therapists to provide the right treatment to their patients.

What does a clinical counselor do?

A Clinical Counselor interviews clients to assess their mental health and behavioral problems. They examine issues such as substance abuse, depression, stress, aging and self-image.

Clinical psychologist vs clinical counselor salary

Clinical psychologists and clinical counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Clinical Psychologist	Clinical Counselor
Average salary	$97,659	$54,191
Salary range	Between $72,000 And $132,000	Between $43,000 And $67,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Bethesda, MD
Highest paying state	California	Maryland
Best paying company	Kaiser Permanente	Novo Nordisk
Best paying industry	Government	Professional

Differences between clinical psychologist and clinical counselor education

There are a few differences between a clinical psychologist and a clinical counselor in terms of educational background:

	Clinical Psychologist	Clinical Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 42%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Most common major	Clinical Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	Northwestern University	California State University - Long Beach

Clinical psychologist vs clinical counselor demographics

Here are the differences between clinical psychologists' and clinical counselors' demographics:

	Clinical Psychologist	Clinical Counselor
Average age	43	41
Gender ratio	Male, 37.0% Female, 63.0%	Male, 28.4% Female, 71.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 3.3% White, 76.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	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	12%	15%

Differences between clinical psychologist and clinical counselor duties and responsibilities

Clinical psychologist example responsibilities.

Manage high-utilizing patients with chronic health and behavioral health concerns to reduce inappropriate medical utilization and to promote better functional outcomes.
Supervise by Amanda Quayle, PsyD.
Utilize CBT, DBT, mindfulness, and motivational interviewing techniques.
Provide CBT, DBT and psychodynamic-orient psychotherapy to adolescent and adult clients.
Intern with Dr. Ann-Marie Tripp-Pendelton, PsyD, in a therapeutic capacity.
Collaborate with a team of social workers, psychiatrists, and psychologists to develop individualize treatment plans for war veterans.

Clinical counselor example responsibilities.

Manage a caseload of individuals in programs design to provide vocational rehabilitation and other services to the developmentally disable.
Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
Perform client intake assessments and conduct monthly assessments to identify progress of patients and determine individuals ready to graduate from program.
Review charts to ensure that they are in compliance with OASAS standards.
Initial assessment, diagnosis, ASAM criteria, treatment planning , 3rd party contact, group and individual therapy.
Maintain appropriate documentation per NYS OASAS regulations and APG guidelines

Clinical psychologist vs clinical counselor skills

Common clinical psychologist skills

Patients, 16%
Rehabilitation, 7%
Clinical Psychology, 6%
Group Therapy, 5%
Veterans, 5%
Patient Care, 5%

Common clinical counselor skills

Social Work, 36%
Patients, 8%
Foster Care, 7%
Independent Living, 6%
Child Abuse, 4%
Clinical Services, 3%

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Clinical Psychologist vs Clinical Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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