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The differences between employment specialists and employment counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an employment counselor has an average salary of $43,848, which is higher than the $39,530 average annual salary of an employment specialist.
The top three skills for an employment specialist include customer service, rehabilitation and mental health. The most important skills for an employment counselor are litigation, employment law, and HR.
| Employment Specialist | Employment Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $39,530 | $43,848 |
| Hourly rate | $19.00 | $21.08 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 59,757 | 29,459 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | - |
An employment specialist deals with job applicants to match their talents to a specific job that properly suits them. Employment specialists assist applicants or the unemployed by testing their skills, conducting mock interviews, and creating a proper resume. They can work separately within a company or be part of the human resources department to assist in the hiring process. Employment specialists are often tasked to handle company layoffs and act as the liaison officer between the employer and the Department of Labor.
The employment counselor is someone who guides and advises people on how to choose, manage and continue in a career path they've chosen. The employment counselor educates people on each career's pros and cons, giving them insights into what to expect, salary rates, and employment chances in a particular profession. The employment counselor will also show how to excel in a specific career, offer ideas on what training or seminar to attend and what skills to enhance to achieve an edge over others.
Employment specialists and employment counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Employment Specialist | Employment Counselor | |
| Average salary | $39,530 | $43,848 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $52,000 | Between $26,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | California |
| Best paying company | University of California, Berkeley | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Professional |
There are a few differences between an employment specialist and an employment counselor in terms of educational background:
| Employment Specialist | Employment Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between employment specialists' and employment counselors' demographics:
| Employment Specialist | Employment Counselor | |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 30.4% Female, 69.6% | Male, 37.1% Female, 62.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 7.7% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 3.7% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 11% |