Crisis counselor vs licensed professional counselor

The differences between crisis counselors and licensed professional 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 crisis counselor and a licensed professional counselor. Additionally, a licensed professional counselor has an average salary of $94,675, which is higher than the $51,142 average annual salary of a crisis counselor.

The top three skills for a crisis counselor include social work, patients and mental health crisis. The most important skills for a licensed professional counselor are patients, social work, and LPC.

Crisis counselor vs licensed professional counselor overview

	Crisis Counselor	Licensed Professional Counselor
Yearly salary	$51,142	$94,675
Hourly rate	$24.59	$45.52
Growth rate	12%	6%
Number of jobs	76,255	153,612
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 64%	Master's Degree, 48%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	4	4

What does a crisis counselor do?

A crisis counselor is responsible for providing assistance and emotional support to clients under crises or mental health emergencies caused by stress, trauma, grief, and other factors. Most crisis counselors work at clinics or counseling centers, and there are instances where they can be at schools and organizations. Aside from diagnosing and providing specific treatments, a crisis counselor must also build rapport with clients, helping them feel comfortable every step of the way, and serving as a positive influence in their journey to recovery.

What does a licensed professional counselor do?

A licensed professional counselor is a healthcare professional who specializes in providing therapy and counseling to patients with emotional and mental health issues. They listen to their patients and utilize various techniques to address concerns and help through the healing procedures. Their duties entail conducting interviews and evaluations, performing research and assessments, studying the patients' medical histories, providing consultations, and developing treatment plans that suit every patients' needs. Additionally, a licensed professional counselor monitors and records their patients' progress, adjusting treatments and medications as necessary.

Crisis counselor vs licensed professional counselor salary

Crisis counselors and licensed professional counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Crisis Counselor	Licensed Professional Counselor
Average salary	$51,142	$94,675
Salary range	Between $37,000 And $69,000	Between $73,000 And $122,000
Highest paying City	-	New York, NY
Highest paying state	-	New York
Best paying company	-	Bloomberg
Best paying industry	-	Real Estate

Differences between crisis counselor and licensed professional counselor education

There are a few differences between a crisis counselor and a licensed professional counselor in terms of educational background:

	Crisis Counselor	Licensed Professional Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 64%	Master's Degree, 48%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	Northwestern University

Crisis counselor vs licensed professional counselor demographics

Here are the differences between crisis counselors' and licensed professional counselors' demographics:

	Crisis Counselor	Licensed Professional Counselor
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 22.9% Female, 77.1%	Male, 28.8% Female, 71.2%
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%

Differences between crisis counselor and licensed professional counselor duties and responsibilities

Crisis counselor example responsibilities.

Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
Conduct mental health evaluations and behavioral health crisis assessments for determination of functioning and mental status of patients.
Provide education to patients about relevant aspects of mental illness and/or chemical dependency to support maximum utilization of treatment.
Train to use CPI, MOAB, and CPR as needed.
Aid callers/chatters suffering from various life crises by use of strong listening skills, empathy, and compassion.
Make patient referrals to outpatient medical clinics, community services, or rehabilitation facilities.

Licensed professional counselor example responsibilities.

Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
Provide clinical supervision to LPC candidates, contract clinicians and counseling psychology practicum/internship students.
Assign, direct, and provide supervision of screening assessment complete by LPC and LCSW.
Conduct intakes and assessments on new admissions and recommend placement into services base on ASAM criteria.
Coordinate with the patient's family, attending physician, other hospitals and agencies following HIPAA standards.
Specialize in OCD and animal assist psychotherapy.

Crisis counselor vs licensed professional counselor skills

Common crisis counselor skills

Social Work, 21%
Patients, 8%
Mental Health Crisis, 6%
Social Services, 5%
Crisis Management, 4%
Suicide Prevention, 4%

Common licensed professional counselor skills

Patients, 13%
Social Work, 12%
LPC, 10%
Real Estate, 10%
Individual Therapy, 8%
Crisis Intervention, 6%

Crisis Counselor vs. similar jobs

Crisis Counselor related careers

Crisis Counselor related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Community and Social Services Industry
Crisis Counselor
Crisis Counselor vs Licensed Professional Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse community and social services jobs