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College counselor vs student services counselor

The differences between college counselors and student services 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 $41,175 average annual salary of a student services counselor.

The top three skills for a college counselor include colleges, social work and professional development. The most important skills for a student services counselor are customer service, financial aid, and student services.

College counselor vs student services counselor overview

College CounselorStudent Services Counselor
Yearly salary$45,991$41,175
Hourly rate$22.11$19.80
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs31,187104,698
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 60%Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Average age4242
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 student services counselor do?

Student Services is a part of the school program that focuses on helping students in their studies. A Student Services Counselor handles this task and is the contact person for all students who need help or who have problems and issues requiring solutions and answers. In a culturally diverse population in schools, it is the student service counselor's job to connect each student to relevant student service programs available in the school. Ultimately, the welfare of the students and their success in school is the goal of this position.

College counselor vs student services counselor salary

College counselors and student services counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

College CounselorStudent Services Counselor
Average salary$45,991$41,175
Salary rangeBetween $33,000 And $62,000Between $27,000 And $60,000
Highest paying CityOakland, CABoston, MA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaNew Jersey
Best paying companyCalifornia College of the ArtsKern Community College District
Best paying industryPharmaceuticalGovernment

Differences between college counselor and student services counselor education

There are a few differences between a college counselor and a student services counselor in terms of educational background:

College CounselorStudent Services Counselor
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 60%Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Most common majorPsychologyBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

College counselor vs student services counselor demographics

Here are the differences between college counselors' and student services counselors' demographics:

College CounselorStudent Services Counselor
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 31.9% Female, 68.1%Male, 33.9% Female, 66.1%
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, 10.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 3.7% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage11%11%

Differences between college counselor and student services counselor 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

Student services counselor example responsibilities.

  • Assist in all aspects of the FAFSA, insuring that every eligible student apply accurately.
  • Verify FAFSA applications for accuracy.
  • Plan retention and recruitment opportunities for students, prospective employers and alumni through interdepartmental and professional cooperative efforts.
  • Create, construct and maintain a student info PowerPoint presentation.
  • Draft general email correspondence, introduction/thank you letters, excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations.
  • Develop formal policies/procedures for daily operations such as program approvals/tracking, financial tracking systems, staff meetings and leadership opportunities.

College counselor vs student services counselor skills

Common college counselor skills
  • Colleges, 14%
  • Social Work, 10%
  • Professional Development, 8%
  • FAFSA, 8%
  • Admissions Process, 7%
  • Scholarship Applications, 6%
Common student services counselor skills
  • Customer Service, 18%
  • Financial Aid, 11%
  • Student Services, 10%
  • Social Work, 7%
  • Rehabilitation, 7%
  • Mental Health, 4%

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