Crisis counselor vs service counselor

The differences between crisis counselors and service counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a crisis counselor, becoming a service counselor takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a crisis counselor has an average salary of $51,142, which is higher than the $35,402 average annual salary of a service counselor.

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

Crisis counselor vs service counselor overview

	Crisis Counselor	Service Counselor
Yearly salary	$51,142	$35,402
Hourly rate	$24.59	$17.02
Growth rate	12%	12%
Number of jobs	76,255	44,284
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 64%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Average age	41	43
Years of experience	4	12

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 service counselor do?

Service counselors provide guidance to couples, individuals, groups, and families who are going through issues that influence their well-being and mental health. They comprehensively approach their clients by utilizing a "wellness" model that focuses on and motivate the client's potentials. Their duties include inspiring clients to talk about their emotions and experiences, helping them determine their action plans and goals, as well as designing therapeutic methods. Also, they may refer their clients to other services or psychologists.

Crisis counselor vs service counselor salary

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

	Crisis Counselor	Service Counselor
Average salary	$51,142	$35,402
Salary range	Between $37,000 And $69,000	Between $24,000 And $51,000
Highest paying City	-	Urban Honolulu, HI
Highest paying state	-	Hawaii
Best paying company	-	Google
Best paying industry	-	Education

Differences between crisis counselor and service counselor education

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

	Crisis Counselor	Service Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 64%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	SUNY at Binghamton

Crisis counselor vs service counselor demographics

Here are the differences between crisis counselors' and service counselors' demographics:

	Crisis Counselor	Service Counselor
Average age	41	43
Gender ratio	Male, 22.9% Female, 77.1%	Male, 33.3% Female, 66.7%
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, 12.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.7% Asian, 7.1% White, 54.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%
LGBT Percentage	15%	11%

Differences between crisis counselor and service 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.

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Service counselor example responsibilities.

Develop contracting strategy to build capacity and achieve ongoing compliance with Medicare and Medicaid provider network adequacy requirements.
Implement patient financial services department to assist patients and family members to ensure successful patient representation and expeditious benefit recovery.
Examine injured persons and administer first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, if necessary, using training and medical supplies and equipment.

Crisis counselor vs service 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 service counselor skills

Social Work, 16%
Crisis Intervention, 9%
Patients, 7%
Support Services, 6%
Social Services, 6%
Rehabilitation, 6%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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