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The differences between counseling directors and orientation leaders can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a counseling director and an orientation leader. Additionally, a counseling director has an average salary of $80,811, which is higher than the $33,848 average annual salary of an orientation leader.
The top three skills for a counseling director include human resources, litigation and legal advice. The most important skills for an orientation leader are role model, group discussions, and orientation program.
| Counseling Director | Orientation Leader | |
| Yearly salary | $80,811 | $33,848 |
| Hourly rate | $38.85 | $16.27 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 7,801 | 32,073 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A counseling director oversees the daily activities of a clinic or counseling facility. They make decisions in adherence with the establishments' goals, manage staff, delegate responsibilities, and conduct assessments and reviews to ensure that clients receive optimal services. They may also participate in facilitating individual or group sessions, monitoring the clients' progress, and hiring and training employees. A counseling director leads staff to reach the facility's goals and implements the facility's standards and regulations.
An orientation leader helps new students adjust to life in universities or colleges. They are primarily responsible for sharing campus advice, facilitating campus tours, assisting incoming students in class and organization registrations, introducing university opportunities, and discussing essential matters with students and their families. Furthermore, an orientation leader usually works with faculty members and staff, coordinating with them, especially when handling students' programs. Aside from serving as a role model, an orientation leader must also share various academic and social resources to help the freshmen.
Counseling directors and orientation leaders have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Counseling Director | Orientation Leader | |
| Average salary | $80,811 | $33,848 |
| Salary range | Between $45,000 And $142,000 | Between $10,000 And $105,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | - |
| Highest paying state | New York | - |
| Best paying company | Palo Alto Networks | - |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | - |
There are a few differences between a counseling director and an orientation leader in terms of educational background:
| Counseling Director | Orientation Leader | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between counseling directors' and orientation leaders' demographics:
| Counseling Director | Orientation Leader | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 47.1% Female, 52.9% | Male, 39.3% Female, 60.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.6% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Asian, 5.0% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 5.1% White, 61.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |