College adviser vs school counselor

The differences between college advisers and school counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a school counselor has an average salary of $49,904, which is higher than the $46,038 average annual salary of a college adviser.

The top three skills for a college adviser include financial aid applications, colleges and professional development. The most important skills for a school counselor are mental health, community resources, and crisis intervention.

College adviser vs school counselor overview

	College Adviser	School Counselor
Yearly salary	$46,038	$49,904
Hourly rate	$22.13	$23.99
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	16,942	91,275
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 69%	Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	-	-

What does a college adviser do?

The main role of a college adviser is to assist students in evaluating and realizing their career and educational options. College advisers offer intensive advising support to their advisees on a regular basis. They help them find their academic interests, determine additional support and information resources, and establish study plans for educational goals. Part of their job is to approve the academic study program of the students. Also, they facilitate the relationships between students and other advisers to career development.

What does a school counselor do?

A school counselor is responsible for monitoring the students' social and personal development, advising them of their career aspirations, and assisting them with their academic achievements and goals. School counselors also ensure that the students receive the highest learning standards to pave their way towards society's advancement and global competitiveness. They evaluate students' behavior through personal counseling, understanding their challenges, and develop strategies to overcome their needs. A school counselor must have excellent communication and decision-making skills, supporting students with their goals, and honing their skills efficiently.

College adviser vs school counselor salary

College advisers and school counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	College Adviser	School Counselor
Average salary	$46,038	$49,904
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $63,000	Between $36,000 And $68,000
Highest paying City	Amherst, MA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	California
Best paying company	New York University	The Gow School
Best paying industry	-	Education

Differences between college adviser and school counselor education

There are a few differences between a college adviser and a school counselor in terms of educational background:

	College Adviser	School Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 69%	Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Most common major	Psychology	School Counseling
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

College adviser vs school counselor demographics

Here are the differences between college advisers' and school counselors' demographics:

	College Adviser	School Counselor
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 39.2% Female, 60.8%	Male, 26.1% Female, 73.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 3.7% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 3.7% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	11%	11%

Differences between college adviser and school counselor duties and responsibilities

College adviser example responsibilities.

Manage presentations, assemblies, and club meetings to offer services and emphasize the necessity of post-secondary study.
Help interview, evaluate, select and mentor AmeriCorps applicants.
Communicate with graduating seniors on a regular basis over the summer by phone, Facebook and in person.
Utilize a CRM database (Salesforce) to update student contacts and to help leadership team to better support students.
Maintain and update student database in Salesforce.
Work with supervisor to complete volunteer activities for AmeriCorps.

Show more

School counselor example responsibilities.

Manage open houses, recruitment, and conduct interviews for GED student enrollment.
Travel to professional conferences and to visit colleges and universities across the country for professional development.
Attend educational meetings (IEP, IST, CCT, etc . )
Create and implement FBA's.
Complete CPR training and other necessary training classes.
Communicate with DCF in regards to students as needed

Show more

College adviser vs school counselor skills

Common college adviser skills

Financial Aid Applications, 16%
Colleges, 13%
Professional Development, 11%
FAFSA, 7%
Admissions Process, 6%
School Administration, 5%

Common school counselor skills

Mental Health, 10%
Community Resources, 8%
Crisis Intervention, 6%
Professional Development, 5%
Behavioral Issues, 4%
CPR, 4%

College Adviser vs. similar jobs

College Adviser related careers

College Adviser related jobs

What similar roles do

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse community and social services jobs

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z