Drug abuse technician vs family counselor

The differences between drug abuse technicians and family counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a drug abuse technician, becoming a family counselor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a family counselor has an average salary of $41,510, which is higher than the $29,180 average annual salary of a drug abuse technician.

The top three skills for a drug abuse technician include drug screens, alcohol screens and drug tests. The most important skills for a family counselor are social work, community resources, and POC.

Drug abuse technician vs family counselor overview

	Drug Abuse Technician	Family Counselor
Yearly salary	$29,180	$41,510
Hourly rate	$14.03	$19.96
Growth rate	9%	14%
Number of jobs	87,872	93,253
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Average age	39	41
Years of experience	6	4

Drug abuse technician vs family counselor salary

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

	Drug Abuse Technician	Family Counselor
Average salary	$29,180	$41,510
Salary range	Between $22,000 And $37,000	Between $27,000 And $62,000
Highest paying City	Dana Point, CA	New York, NY
Highest paying state	Oregon	New York
Best paying company	Choctaw Nation Of Oklahoma	Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
Best paying industry	Health Care	Professional

Differences between drug abuse technician and family counselor education

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

	Drug Abuse Technician	Family Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Psychology
Most common college	San Diego State University	California State University - Long Beach

Drug abuse technician vs family counselor demographics

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

	Drug Abuse Technician	Family Counselor
Average age	39	41
Gender ratio	Male, 41.5% Female, 58.5%	Male, 26.3% Female, 73.7%
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, 7.0% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 4.6% White, 68.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	12%	6%

Differences between drug abuse technician and family counselor duties and responsibilities

Drug abuse technician example responsibilities.

Work with outside counsel to develop patent and trademark portfolio and manage patent litigation.
Complete intake procedures for new clients including UA's.
Compose written reports of data collect from patient evaluation and present to department chief for thorough analysis of patient diagnosis.
Administer state require DWI protocols including breathalyzer tests and obtaining specimens.

Family counselor example responsibilities.

Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
Assist the clients in completing their DCF case plan, helping to remove any hindrances they may encounter.
Counsele and test patients who requesting confidential HIV testing services
Collaborate and coordinate patient care with resident/faculty physicians to provide appropriate levels of care to patients.
Receive and process referrals from DCF and community-base case managers for individuals suspect as substance abusers.
Utilize PowerPoint presentations to facilitate ongoing new student orientation, ensuring students understand rules and regulations.

Drug abuse technician vs family counselor skills

Common drug abuse technician skills

Drug Screens, 17%
Alcohol Screens, 17%
Drug Tests, 14%
Test Results, 12%
Vital Signs, 8%
Custody Procedures, 6%

Common family counselor skills

Social Work, 22%
Community Resources, 13%
POC, 7%
Family Support, 5%
Family Therapy, 5%
DOD, 4%

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Drug Abuse Technician
Drug Abuse Technician vs Family Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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