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The differences between college counselors and academic counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an academic counselor has an average salary of $47,454, which is higher than the $45,991 average annual salary of a college counselor.
The top three skills for a college counselor include colleges, social work and professional development. The most important skills for an academic counselor are financial aid, academic support, and student services.
| College Counselor | Academic Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $45,991 | $47,454 |
| Hourly rate | $22.11 | $22.81 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 31,187 | 39,084 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
It is the job of a college counselor to help students explore and find their careers. College counselors make students consider and organize their priorities for their experience in college. They assist students in researching the available options for a college degree. Their job is to ensure that all the necessary steps in student applications are complete. They even send letters of recommendation and transcripts to make sure that students land their own careers.
In high schools and universities, an academic counselor specializes in providing counseling and consultations to students, focusing on their educational and career growth. They typically meet with students to discuss their short and long term goals and help by providing them with insights and information or referring them to other services and resources. Moreover, an academic counselor must assist students by addressing their issues and concerns, giving them emotional support and academic advice, and helping them navigate through various procedures.
College counselors and academic counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| College Counselor | Academic Counselor | |
| Average salary | $45,991 | $47,454 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $62,000 | Between $35,000 And $63,000 |
| Highest paying City | Oakland, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Virginia |
| Best paying company | California College of the Arts | California College of the Arts |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a college counselor and an academic counselor in terms of educational background:
| College Counselor | Academic Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between college counselors' and academic counselors' demographics:
| College Counselor | Academic Counselor | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 31.9% Female, 68.1% | Male, 35.4% Female, 64.6% |
| 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% |