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The differences between college counselors and peer counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a college counselor has an average salary of $45,991, which is higher than the $37,464 average annual salary of a peer counselor.
The top three skills for a college counselor include colleges, social work and professional development. The most important skills for a peer counselor are peer support, substance abuse, and wic program.
| College Counselor | Peer Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $45,991 | $37,464 |
| Hourly rate | $22.11 | $18.01 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 31,187 | 76,608 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| 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.
Typically working at schools, communities, or medical facilities, a peer counselor specializes in providing counseling to an individual or group of people, aiming to help them deal with and overcome crises. Their duties often include conducting initial assessments through interviews and appointments, listening to clients and offering advice, recommending opportunities, referring them to other support agencies, and coordinating treatment services as needed. Above all, a peer counselor must provide emotional support and guidance to clients, giving them comfort and a shoulder to lean on.
College counselors and peer counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| College Counselor | Peer Counselor | |
| Average salary | $45,991 | $37,464 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $62,000 | Between $24,000 And $57,000 |
| Highest paying City | Oakland, CA | Hayward, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | California College of the Arts | The Brooklyn Hospital Center |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Education |
There are a few differences between a college counselor and a peer counselor in terms of educational background:
| College Counselor | Peer Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between college counselors' and peer counselors' demographics:
| College Counselor | Peer Counselor | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 31.9% Female, 68.1% | Male, 33.0% Female, 67.0% |
| 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% |