Drug abuse technician vs rehabilitation counselor

The differences between drug abuse technicians and rehabilitation 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 rehabilitation counselor takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a rehabilitation counselor has an average salary of $43,111, 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 rehabilitation counselor are rehabilitation, social work, and mental health.

Drug abuse technician vs rehabilitation counselor overview

	Drug Abuse Technician	Rehabilitation Counselor
Yearly salary	$29,180	$43,111
Hourly rate	$14.03	$20.73
Growth rate	9%	11%
Number of jobs	87,872	77,220
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Average age	39	45
Years of experience	6	12

Drug abuse technician vs rehabilitation counselor salary

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

	Drug Abuse Technician	Rehabilitation Counselor
Average salary	$29,180	$43,111
Salary range	Between $22,000 And $37,000	Between $31,000 And $58,000
Highest paying City	Dana Point, CA	Cleveland, OH
Highest paying state	Oregon	Ohio
Best paying company	Choctaw Nation Of Oklahoma	North Shore Healthcare
Best paying industry	Health Care	Government

Differences between drug abuse technician and rehabilitation counselor education

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

	Drug Abuse Technician	Rehabilitation Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Psychology
Most common college	San Diego State University	University of Washington

Drug abuse technician vs rehabilitation counselor demographics

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

	Drug Abuse Technician	Rehabilitation Counselor
Average age	39	45
Gender ratio	Male, 41.5% Female, 58.5%	Male, 33.9% Female, 66.1%
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, 13.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 2.9% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7%
LGBT Percentage	12%	21%

Differences between drug abuse technician and rehabilitation 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.

Rehabilitation counselor example responsibilities.

Collaborate with institutions of higher learning and local organizations to help assign veterans achieve independent living and academic success.
Develop and manage multidisciplinary rehabilitation center.
Organize and implement individualized rehabilitation programs.
Supervise CRC and LMHC students for practicum and internships at site.
Provide individualized counseling to psychiatric patients, resulting in their social development.
Interview, evaluate interests/aptitudes and transferable skills in order to optimize occupational exploration and customize formal training programs.

Drug abuse technician vs rehabilitation 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 rehabilitation counselor skills

Rehabilitation, 23%
Social Work, 12%
Mental Health, 12%
Patients, 6%
Management System, 4%
Vocational Rehabilitation, 4%

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Drug Abuse Technician
Drug Abuse Technician vs Rehabilitation Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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