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The differences between counselor interns and mental health counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a counselor internship and a mental health counselor. Additionally, a mental health counselor has an average salary of $49,471, which is higher than the $45,500 average annual salary of a counselor internship.
The top three skills for a counselor internship include crisis intervention, intake assessments and substance abuse issues. The most important skills for a mental health counselor are social work, patients, and crisis intervention.
| Counselor Internship | Mental Health Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $45,500 | $49,471 |
| Hourly rate | $21.88 | $23.78 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 132,694 | 110,752 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 2 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
When it comes to Counselor Internship, among the primary responsibilities is to assist in dealing with various activities such as preparing and verifying necessary documentation, observing consultations and outreach programs, guide clients and help develop multiple helpful strategies, and provide assessments. Furthermore, one can conduct counseling and consultation only under supervision. It is also essential to track the information gathered and coordinate with assigned personnel to adhere to the company's regulations and policies.
A mental health counselor is responsible for helping patients deal with their emotional and mental disorders by developing treatment plans and conducting regular counseling to track the patient's progress and condition. Mental health counselors encourage active communication from their patients, provide coping strategies for triggering situations, seek advice from other health care professionals, and guide patients on doing other activities that would help them relax. A mental health counselor must have excellent knowledge of the mental health disciplines to assist patients in their healthy lifestyle development.
Counselor interns and mental health counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Counselor Internship | Mental Health Counselor | |
| Average salary | $45,500 | $49,471 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $65,000 | Between $34,000 And $70,000 |
| Highest paying City | Chicago, IL | Longview, WA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | The Travelers Companies | Family Life Counseling & Psychiatric Services |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a counselor internship and a mental health counselor in terms of educational background:
| Counselor Internship | Mental Health Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between counselor interns' and mental health counselors' demographics:
| Counselor Internship | Mental Health Counselor | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 23.8% Female, 76.2% | Male, 31.4% Female, 68.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 3.2% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 3.2% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 15% | 15% |