Corrections counselor vs service counselor

The differences between corrections counselors and service counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a corrections counselor has an average salary of $48,875, which is higher than the $35,402 average annual salary of a service counselor.

The top three skills for a corrections counselor include mental health, substance abuse and social work. The most important skills for a service counselor are social work, crisis intervention, and patients.

Corrections counselor vs service counselor overview

	Corrections Counselor	Service Counselor
Yearly salary	$48,875	$35,402
Hourly rate	$23.50	$17.02
Growth rate	10%	12%
Number of jobs	77,132	44,284
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Average age	42	43
Years of experience	-	12

What does a corrections counselor do?

A corrections counselor develops and implements rehabilitation plans for parolees and inmates. They work directly with criminal offenders to facilitate individual or group counseling sessions to identify the reasons for their behavior, help them work through their issues, give the necessary interventions, and determine whether they can be released back into society. Besides monitoring the progress of the inmates, a corrections counselor may also help parolees and offenders prepare for their release to prevent them from going back to the life of crime. Additionally, a corrections counselor keeps records of all inmates and regularly reports to senior staff.

What does a service counselor do?

Service counselors provide guidance to couples, individuals, groups, and families who are going through issues that influence their well-being and mental health. They comprehensively approach their clients by utilizing a "wellness" model that focuses on and motivate the client's potentials. Their duties include inspiring clients to talk about their emotions and experiences, helping them determine their action plans and goals, as well as designing therapeutic methods. Also, they may refer their clients to other services or psychologists.

Corrections counselor vs service counselor salary

Corrections counselors and service counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Corrections Counselor	Service Counselor
Average salary	$48,875	$35,402
Salary range	Between $35,000 And $66,000	Between $24,000 And $51,000
Highest paying City	Santa Rosa, CA	Urban Honolulu, HI
Highest paying state	California	Hawaii
Best paying company	Maxim Healthcare Group	Google
Best paying industry	Government	Education

Differences between corrections counselor and service counselor education

There are a few differences between a corrections counselor and a service counselor in terms of educational background:

	Corrections Counselor	Service Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Psychology
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	SUNY at Binghamton

Corrections counselor vs service counselor demographics

Here are the differences between corrections counselors' and service counselors' demographics:

	Corrections Counselor	Service Counselor
Average age	42	43
Gender ratio	Male, 49.3% Female, 50.7%	Male, 33.3% Female, 66.7%
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, 12.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.7% Asian, 7.1% White, 54.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%
LGBT Percentage	11%	11%

Differences between corrections counselor and service counselor duties and responsibilities

Corrections counselor example responsibilities.

Train in pepper spray, handcuffs, and CPR.
Provide first aid and or CPR as needed.
Administer risk/needs assessment to offenders using motivational interviewing techniques.
Utilize and demonstrate proficiency in risk reduction skills including motivational interviewing and cognitive strategies.
Develop re-entry plans for offenders within establish time frames and in accordance with departmental procedures.
Assist inmates with selecting educational and job training programs to enhance their opportunity for rehabilitation and future employment.

Service counselor example responsibilities.

Develop contracting strategy to build capacity and achieve ongoing compliance with Medicare and Medicaid provider network adequacy requirements.
Implement patient financial services department to assist patients and family members to ensure successful patient representation and expeditious benefit recovery.
Examine injured persons and administer first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, if necessary, using training and medical supplies and equipment.

Corrections counselor vs service counselor skills

Common corrections counselor skills

Mental Health, 16%
Substance Abuse, 16%
Social Work, 10%
Crisis Intervention, 6%
Rehabilitation, 6%
Criminal Justice, 6%

Common service counselor skills

Social Work, 16%
Crisis Intervention, 9%
Patients, 7%
Support Services, 6%
Social Services, 6%
Rehabilitation, 6%

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Corrections Counselor
Corrections Counselor vs Service Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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