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The differences between finance aid officers and finance aid counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a finance aid officer and a finance aid counselor. Additionally, a finance aid officer has an average salary of $38,163, which is higher than the $37,672 average annual salary of a finance aid counselor.
The top three skills for a finance aid officer include financial aid, customer service and FAFSA. The most important skills for a finance aid counselor are financial assistance, customer service, and financial aid programs.
| Finance Aid Officer | Finance Aid Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $38,163 | $37,672 |
| Hourly rate | $18.35 | $18.11 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 146,154 | 118,072 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A finance aid officer helps students get financial aid. They procure scholarships and loan applications and help students to fill them out. They may also help students find employment on- or off-campus, assist students in finding grants for educational funding, or provide money-management advice. Some finance aid officers help medical personnel get insurance information.
Financial aid counselors are professionals who are responsible for providing advice to students and parents regarding various institutional financial aid programs. By following state and university guidelines, financial aid counselors are required to award funds from various controlled programs to students by ensuring the optimal use of financial aid funds. These counselors must assist students to complete all the appropriate and required forms to ensure the proper application process for financial aid. They must also assist the financial aid coordinator to make sure that their department is running smoothly.
Finance aid officers and finance aid counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Finance Aid Officer | Finance Aid Counselor | |
| Average salary | $38,163 | $37,672 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $49,000 | Between $29,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | New York | New York |
| Best paying company | Columbia University in the City of New York | The American Musical and Dramatic Academy |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Education |
There are a few differences between a finance aid officer and a finance aid counselor in terms of educational background:
| Finance Aid Officer | Finance Aid Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between finance aid officers' and finance aid counselors' demographics:
| Finance Aid Officer | Finance Aid Counselor | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 27.5% Female, 72.5% | Male, 28.2% Female, 71.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 6.4% White, 63.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 6.4% White, 63.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |