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The differences between guidance counselors and career counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a guidance counselor has an average salary of $48,154, which is higher than the $44,870 average annual salary of a career counselor.
The top three skills for a guidance counselor include crisis intervention, community resources and mental health. The most important skills for a career counselor are career development, career services, and professional development.
| Guidance Counselor | Career Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $48,154 | $44,870 |
| Hourly rate | $23.15 | $21.57 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 75,740 | 42,035 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
The primary role of a Guidance Counselor is to help students develop skills for success, both in academics and social development. They also develop and implement educational and counseling plans with modern methods of teaching and mentoring.
A career counselor specializes in assisting clients in their career-related decisions. Utilizing their expertise in career development, they typically meet with clients to discuss their short-term and long-term goals, identify their needs and concerns, conduct different aptitude tests and examinations, organize skills assessment procedures, and provide strategies to improve or enhance their skills and abilities. Aside from providing consultations, a career counselor may also assist clients in processing and establishing their resumes, supporting them every step of the way.
Guidance counselors and career counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Guidance Counselor | Career Counselor | |
| Average salary | $48,154 | $44,870 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $64,000 | Between $33,000 And $60,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Los Angeles, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Poly Prep Country Day School | Columbia University in the City of New York |
| Best paying industry | Education | Technology |
There are a few differences between a guidance counselor and a career counselor in terms of educational background:
| Guidance Counselor | Career Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | School Counseling | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between guidance counselors' and career counselors' demographics:
| Guidance Counselor | Career Counselor | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 31.3% Female, 68.7% | Male, 42.4% Female, 57.6% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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 | 11% | 11% |