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The differences between counselor/case managers and lead counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a lead counselor has an average salary of $178,478, which is higher than the $39,562 average annual salary of a counselor/case manager.
The top three skills for a counselor/case manager include crisis intervention, patients and social work. The most important skills for a lead counselor are legal advice, litigation, and work ethic.
| Counselor/Case Manager | Lead Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $39,562 | $178,478 |
| Hourly rate | $19.02 | $85.81 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 88,285 | 74,247 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 12 | - |
A Counselor provides advice for coping with everyday situations, relationships, health challenges, or disabilities of patients. Case Managers develop, monitor, and evaluate treatment plans and the progress of patients within the social service departments, healthcare companies, hospital networks, etc.
A Lead Counselor is responsible for the management of patients' mental health and rehabilitation services. Often, they help them to recover from a tragic or traumatic kind of situation. They also help the patient cope with family and job-related stress and other personal issues. They teach other staff and especially clients to educate them in dealing with stress management and eventually monitor their progress. This person should also have strong written and verbal communication skills.
Counselor/case managers and lead counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Counselor/Case Manager | Lead Counselor | |
| Average salary | $39,562 | $178,478 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $47,000 | Between $100,000 And $315,000 |
| Highest paying City | Denver, CO | Los Angeles, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Parkland Hospital | MDI |
| Best paying industry | Education | - |
There are a few differences between a counselor/case manager and a lead counselor in terms of educational background:
| Counselor/Case Manager | Lead Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between counselor/case managers' and lead counselors' demographics:
| Counselor/Case Manager | Lead Counselor | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 30.8% Female, 69.2% | Male, 41.6% Female, 58.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.7% Asian, 6.7% White, 55.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8% | 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% |