Drug abuse technician vs substance abuse counselor

The differences between drug abuse technicians and substance abuse 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 technician and a substance abuse counselor. Additionally, a substance abuse counselor has an average salary of $43,069, 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 substance abuse counselor are patients, substance abuse treatment, and social work.

Drug abuse technician vs substance abuse counselor overview

	Drug Abuse Technician	Substance Abuse Counselor
Yearly salary	$29,180	$43,069
Hourly rate	$14.03	$20.71
Growth rate	9%	-
Number of jobs	87,872	78,643
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Average age	39	39
Years of experience	6	6

Drug abuse technician vs substance abuse counselor salary

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

	Drug Abuse Technician	Substance Abuse Counselor
Average salary	$29,180	$43,069
Salary range	Between $22,000 And $37,000	Between $27,000 And $67,000
Highest paying City	Dana Point, CA	Trenton, NJ
Highest paying state	Oregon	New Hampshire
Best paying company	Choctaw Nation Of Oklahoma	Erlanger Health System
Best paying industry	Health Care	Non Profits

Differences between drug abuse technician and substance abuse counselor education

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

	Drug Abuse Technician	Substance Abuse Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Psychology
Most common college	San Diego State University	California State University - Long Beach

Drug abuse technician vs substance abuse counselor demographics

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

	Drug Abuse Technician	Substance Abuse Counselor
Average age	39	39
Gender ratio	Male, 41.5% Female, 58.5%	Male, 34.3% Female, 65.7%
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, 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 technician and substance abuse 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.

Substance abuse counselor example responsibilities.

Ensure and manage the compliance with Didi Hirsch policies and procedures, contracts and other regulatory agencies, HIPAA and DMH.
Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
Perform assessment of patients using ASAM criteria and recommendation for appropriate level of programming.
Process detox patient admissions on computer system which include - conducting alcohol and drug assessment, taking psycho/social history.
Provide clinical services, patient care, education and opiate addiction counseling services to patients receiving methadone maintenance and detoxification treatment.
Certify for first aid and CPR.

Drug abuse technician vs substance abuse 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 substance abuse counselor skills

Patients, 16%
Substance Abuse Treatment, 11%
Social Work, 8%
Crisis Intervention, 8%
Intake Assessments, 5%
Rehabilitation, 4%

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Drug Abuse Technician
Drug Abuse Technician vs Substance Abuse Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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