Group counselor vs education counselor

The differences between group counselors and education counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an education counselor has an average salary of $45,465, which is higher than the $40,155 average annual salary of a group counselor.

The top three skills for a group counselor include mental health, patients and crisis intervention. The most important skills for an education counselor are mental health, crisis intervention, and financial aid.

Group counselor vs education counselor overview

	Group Counselor	Education Counselor
Yearly salary	$40,155	$45,465
Hourly rate	$19.31	$21.86
Growth rate	9%	10%
Number of jobs	84,413	40,323
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Average age	41	42
Years of experience	4	-

What does a group counselor do?

A group counselor provides counseling services primarily in a group setting, aiming to provide clients with a supportive and healthy environment where they can work on different issues and reach personal goals. They typically conduct research and assessments, establish program objectives and guidelines, arrange various activities, and facilitate positive interactions to support one another. Additionally, a group counselor has the duty to implement policies and standards, create treatment plans, and optimize strategies to ensure clients receive optimal support and services.

What does an education counselor do?

The work of education counselors revolves around giving students advice about their course choice, career structuring, and supporting them in their school endeavors. They must have the empathy to help students adjust to their everyday struggles and personal conflicts. They often give students information about scholarship grants and help them apply. They organize seminars talking about alcohol consumption and smoking. Counselors also discuss strategies to improve school performance regarding overall counseling services.

Group counselor vs education counselor salary

Group counselors and education counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Group Counselor	Education Counselor
Average salary	$40,155	$45,465
Salary range	Between $14,000 And $110,000	Between $33,000 And $61,000
Highest paying City	-	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	Silicon Valley International School
Best paying industry	-	Education

Differences between group counselor and education counselor education

There are a few differences between a group counselor and an education counselor in terms of educational background:

	Group Counselor	Education Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	University of Pennsylvania

Group counselor vs education counselor demographics

Here are the differences between group counselors' and education counselors' demographics:

	Group Counselor	Education Counselor
Average age	41	42
Gender ratio	Male, 40.8% Female, 59.2%	Male, 33.3% Female, 66.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 3.2% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	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	15%	11%

Differences between group counselor and education counselor duties and responsibilities

Group counselor example responsibilities.

Administer first aid and CPR when need.
Develop leadership skills while training younger counselors.
Execute leadership skills by planning and facilitating activities.
Work towards empowering juveniles and their families to support a positive lifestyle by providing strength base intensive intervention and rehabilitation services.
Provide behavior modification and social skills training to children and adolescents with ADHD and other behavioral and emotional disorders.

Education counselor example responsibilities.

Provide consultation and in-service to teachers, administrators and parents regarding IEP's, guidance and counseling practices and programs.
Collaborate as member of IEP teams, with school and district representatives and families, to identify specific student needs areas.
Work towards empowering juveniles and their families to support a positive lifestyle by providing strength base intensive intervention and rehabilitation services.
Participate in special education meetings as administrator, coordinate state testing and assist with RTI identifications.
Facilitate RTI process on caseload through identification, implementation, and through monitoring progress for further referrals for at-risk students.
Ensure client safety and provide necessary intervention toward adolescent teens admit into an inpatient drug and mental health treatment facility.

Group counselor vs education counselor skills

Common group counselor skills

Mental Health, 23%
Patients, 21%
Crisis Intervention, 8%
Social Work, 8%
Rehabilitation, 7%
Group Therapy Sessions, 5%

Common education counselor skills

Mental Health, 11%
Crisis Intervention, 10%
Financial Aid, 6%
Behavioral Problems, 6%
Applied Behavior Analysis, 5%
Educational Programs, 5%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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