Family service counselor vs family therapist

The differences between family service counselors and family therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a family service counselor and a family therapist. Additionally, a family therapist has an average salary of $50,774, which is higher than the $49,490 average annual salary of a family service counselor.

The top three skills for a family service counselor include social work, community resources and family services. The most important skills for a family therapist are social work, patients, and rehabilitation.

Family service counselor vs family therapist overview

	Family Service Counselor	Family Therapist
Yearly salary	$49,490	$50,774
Hourly rate	$23.79	$24.41
Growth rate	9%	14%
Number of jobs	84,595	106,982
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Average age	42	41
Years of experience	4	4

Family service counselor vs family therapist salary

Family service counselors and family therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Family Service Counselor	Family Therapist
Average salary	$49,490	$50,774
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $76,000	Between $37,000 And $67,000
Highest paying City	Trenton, NJ	Rochester, NY
Highest paying state	New Jersey	Oregon
Best paying company	Phoenix Children's	Dignity Health
Best paying industry	Government	Health Care

Differences between family service counselor and family therapist education

There are a few differences between a family service counselor and a family therapist in terms of educational background:

	Family Service Counselor	Family Therapist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	California State University - Long Beach

Family service counselor vs family therapist demographics

Here are the differences between family service counselors' and family therapists' demographics:

	Family Service Counselor	Family Therapist
Average age	42	41
Gender ratio	Male, 37.8% Female, 62.2%	Male, 25.8% Female, 74.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 13.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 2.7% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%	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	10%	6%

Differences between family service counselor and family therapist duties and responsibilities

Family service counselor example responsibilities.

Maintain the HMIS databases for new leads and existing client s needs.
Design and implement new position utilizing community outreach counseling and support services for patients in partial hospital and outpatient programs.
Perform drug screens after hours so the kids wouldn't miss school.
Maintain and upkeep knowledge of current policy and program procedures for programs administer by DHS.
Identify and assess needs of minors place in care by DCF due to abuse or neglect.
Coordinate cases with supervisor, team members, providers, medical teams, DCF and attorneys as needed.

Family therapist example responsibilities.

Complete documentation to medicaid standards.
Create maximum billable Medicaid hours and submitting necessary paperwork for Medicaid billing.
Apply behavioral analysis instruction for a student with autism concentrating on communication, socialization, self-help skills and community skills.
Receive and process referrals from DCF and community-base case managers for individuals suspect as substance abusers.

Family service counselor vs family therapist skills

Common family service counselor skills

Social Work, 22%
Community Resources, 13%
Family Services, 10%
Mental Health, 7%
Client Families, 6%
Child Abuse, 3%

Common family therapist skills

Social Work, 27%
Patients, 6%
Rehabilitation, 4%
Community Resources, 4%
Mental Health Issues, 4%
Group Therapy, 3%

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Community and Social Services Industry
Family Service Counselor
Family Service Counselor vs Family Therapist

Updated January 8, 2025

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