Drug abuse counselor vs primary counselor

The differences between drug abuse counselors and primary counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a drug abuse counselor and a primary counselor. Additionally, a drug abuse counselor has an average salary of $49,420, which is higher than the $44,580 average annual salary of a primary counselor.

The top three skills for a drug abuse counselor include patients, drug abuse and substance abuse education. The most important skills for a primary counselor are group therapy sessions, mental health, and crisis intervention.

Drug abuse counselor vs primary counselor overview

	Drug Abuse Counselor	Primary Counselor
Yearly salary	$49,420	$44,580
Hourly rate	$23.76	$21.43
Growth rate	11%	9%
Number of jobs	27,596	65,753
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age	39	39
Years of experience	6	6

Drug abuse counselor vs primary counselor salary

Drug abuse counselors and primary counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Drug Abuse Counselor	Primary Counselor
Average salary	$49,420	$44,580
Salary range	Between $35,000 And $68,000	Between $31,000 And $63,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between drug abuse counselor and primary counselor education

There are a few differences between a drug abuse counselor and a primary counselor in terms of educational background:

	Drug Abuse Counselor	Primary Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	Hunter College of the City University of New York

Drug abuse counselor vs primary counselor demographics

Here are the differences between drug abuse counselors' and primary counselors' demographics:

	Drug Abuse Counselor	Primary Counselor
Average age	39	39
Gender ratio	Male, 36.1% Female, 63.9%	Male, 34.5% Female, 65.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 4.6% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 4.6% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between drug abuse counselor and primary counselor duties and responsibilities

Drug abuse counselor example responsibilities.

Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
Consult with physicians regarding increase or decrease of methadone dosage.
Supervise and direct other workers providing services to patients.
Provide individual counseling services to opioid dependent clients in outpatient methadone maintenance treatment.
Participate in policy-shaping rehabilitation committee meetings.
Provide DBT group psychotherapy in inpatient, residential setting serving pregnant teenagers and young mothers.

Primary counselor example responsibilities.

Coordinate individual client treatment plans to achieve individual and department rehabilitation goals.
Conduct intake screenings and assessment for treatment entry and appropriateness per ASAM criteria.
Develop and implement individualized treatment plans base on patient needs and ASAM criteria.
Maintain accurate and complete chart documentation regarding patient attitude and progress in the rehabilitation process following program protocols.
Facilitate group activities, arrange for outside recovery-orient NA/AA meetings, and provide a safe environment for recovering patients.
Facilitate substance abuse group counseling sessions to assist patients in recognizing causal factors of substance abuse and in developing coping behaviors.

Drug abuse counselor vs primary counselor skills

Common drug abuse counselor skills

Patients, 14%
Drug Abuse, 10%
Substance Abuse Education, 10%
Discharge Summaries, 10%
Methadone, 6%
Substance Abuse Issues, 5%

Common primary counselor skills

Group Therapy Sessions, 10%
Mental Health, 10%
Crisis Intervention, 10%
Patients, 8%
Intake Assessments, 8%
Substance Abuse Treatment, 8%

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Drug Abuse Counselor
Drug Abuse Counselor vs Primary Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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