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College counselor vs special education teacher

The differences between college counselors and special education teachers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a special education teacher has an average salary of $54,290, 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 a special education teacher are classroom management, autism, and behavior management.

College counselor vs special education teacher overview

College CounselorSpecial Education Teacher
Yearly salary$45,991$54,290
Hourly rate$22.11$26.10
Growth rate10%4%
Number of jobs31,18767,699
Job satisfaction-4.33
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 60%Bachelor's Degree, 66%
Average age4243
Years of experience--

What does a college counselor do?

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.

What does a special education teacher do?

A special education teacher is responsible for teaching students with disabilities. Special education teachers are trained professionals to provide distinct learning instructions for children with special cases for them to achieve their potentials and improve their self-confidence. A special education teacher must have excellent communication and organizational skills to assist the students with their learning areas. Special education teachers should be able to come up with engaging activities to support the students' behavioral and intellectual development.

College counselor vs special education teacher salary

College counselors and special education teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.

College CounselorSpecial Education Teacher
Average salary$45,991$54,290
Salary rangeBetween $33,000 And $62,000Between $39,000 And $73,000
Highest paying CityOakland, CABaltimore, MD
Highest paying stateCaliforniaMaryland
Best paying companyCalifornia College of the ArtsBaltimore City Public Schools
Best paying industryPharmaceuticalGovernment

Differences between college counselor and special education teacher education

There are a few differences between a college counselor and a special education teacher in terms of educational background:

College CounselorSpecial Education Teacher
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 60%Bachelor's Degree, 66%
Most common majorPsychologySpecial Education
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaNorthwestern University

College counselor vs special education teacher demographics

Here are the differences between college counselors' and special education teachers' demographics:

College CounselorSpecial Education Teacher
Average age4243
Gender ratioMale, 31.9% Female, 68.1%Male, 24.6% Female, 75.4%
Race ratioBlack 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, 9.4% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 3.6% White, 71.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage11%8%

Differences between college counselor and special education teacher duties and responsibilities

College counselor example responsibilities.

  • Lead mathematics courses to help students prepare for the math section on the SATs.
  • Utilize Salesforce to manage advertising programs for business owners.
  • Educate students about the financial aid process, FAFSA application, opportunity programs, and scholarships.
  • Provide support with essay critiques, resumes, applications, scholarships, FAFSA and standardize test preparation.
  • Maintain student records including GPA's and transcripts.
  • Serve as school coordinator for NCAA eligibility for student athletes.
  • Show more

Special education teacher example responsibilities.

  • Lead a DIBELS intervention group.
  • Lead the data team with interpreting results, including NWEA and other benchmark assessments.
  • Design a unique and differentiate curriculum that addressed state standards for both mathematics and special education.
  • Educate special needs kids with mental and physical disabilities using proven conventional and improvise teaching/learning methods.
  • Plan appropriate lessons align to NYS CCSS.
  • Instruct and create ELA lessons through Fountas and Pinnell and Fundations.
  • Show more

College counselor vs special education teacher skills

Common college counselor skills
  • Colleges, 14%
  • Social Work, 10%
  • Professional Development, 8%
  • FAFSA, 8%
  • Admissions Process, 7%
  • Scholarship Applications, 6%
Common special education teacher skills
  • Classroom Management, 11%
  • Autism, 10%
  • Behavior Management, 6%
  • IEPs, 6%
  • Professional Development, 6%
  • Student Learning, 6%

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