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The differences between crisis counselors and program 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 program counselor. Additionally, a crisis counselor has an average salary of $51,142, which is higher than the $43,820 average annual salary of a program counselor.
The top three skills for a crisis counselor include social work, patients and mental health crisis. The most important skills for a program counselor are developmental disabilities, patients, and community integration.
| Crisis Counselor | Program Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $51,142 | $43,820 |
| Hourly rate | $24.59 | $21.07 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 76,255 | 133,491 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
A Program Counselor is an essential part of a school's faculty. It's the counselor's responsibility to ensure that students are benefiting from the school's educational curriculum. This person is also tasked to help students resolve issues and problems that may hinder any educational progress. They are also part of the disciplinary team intended to instill good morals, ethics, and decency in students. The Program Counselor is one of the teacher or professor who has expertise or has a high educational degree in a particular subject or field.
Crisis counselors and program counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Crisis Counselor | Program Counselor | |
| Average salary | $51,142 | $43,820 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $69,000 | Between $33,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | - | New York |
| Best paying company | - | Russell Sage College |
| Best paying industry | - | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a crisis counselor and a program counselor in terms of educational background:
| Crisis Counselor | Program Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between crisis counselors' and program counselors' demographics:
| Crisis Counselor | Program Counselor | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 22.9% Female, 77.1% | Male, 35.9% Female, 64.1% |
| 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% |