Guidance counselor vs student support counselor

The differences between guidance counselors and student support 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 $41,329 average annual salary of a student support counselor.

The top three skills for a guidance counselor include crisis intervention, community resources and mental health. The most important skills for a student support counselor are student support, mental health, and crisis intervention.

Guidance counselor vs student support counselor overview

	Guidance Counselor	Student Support Counselor
Yearly salary	$48,154	$41,329
Hourly rate	$23.15	$19.87
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	75,740	134,839
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	-	-

What does a guidance counselor do?

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.

What does a student support counselor do?

A student support counselor is responsible for identifying the students' strengths and challenges through one-on-one counseling and establishing solutions to help them overcome difficulties and achieve their educational goals and aspirations. Student support counselors assist the faculty in determining appropriate programs and activities to develop the students' capabilities, especially as a way of preparing them with their career objectives. They also coordinate with the students' families for extended guidance and support for their growth and development.

Guidance counselor vs student support counselor salary

Guidance counselors and student support counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Guidance Counselor	Student Support Counselor
Average salary	$48,154	$41,329
Salary range	Between $36,000 And $64,000	Between $29,000 And $57,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Teaneck, NJ
Highest paying state	California	Massachusetts
Best paying company	Poly Prep Country Day School	Mercy College
Best paying industry	Education	Education

Differences between guidance counselor and student support counselor education

There are a few differences between a guidance counselor and a student support counselor in terms of educational background:

	Guidance Counselor	Student Support Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Most common major	School Counseling	Psychology
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Guidance counselor vs student support counselor demographics

Here are the differences between guidance counselors' and student support counselors' demographics:

	Guidance Counselor	Student Support Counselor
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 31.3% Female, 68.7%	Male, 34.3% Female, 65.7%
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%

Differences between guidance counselor and student support counselor duties and responsibilities

Guidance counselor example responsibilities.

Utilize Salesforce to manage advertising programs for business owners.
Administer TACHS, PSAT, and other statewide examinations.
Provide individual counseling to students upon their request, SST referrals, or that of a teacher.
Utilize RTI for curriculum design and to identify students in need of extra academic & behavioral support.
Contribute to IEP manifestation meetings with students-parents-teachers.
Complete student educational assessments for upcoming IEP meetings.

Student support counselor example responsibilities.

Maintain confidentiality relating to treatment while keeping organize and up to date IEP's, and medical records file accordingly.
Attend IEP meetings of students on caseload and present to the IEP team a clinical progress report with counseling goals.
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.

Guidance counselor vs student support counselor skills

Common guidance counselor skills

Crisis Intervention, 10%
Community Resources, 5%
Mental Health, 5%
Professional Development, 4%
Financial Aid, 4%
Conflict Resolution, 4%

Common student support counselor skills

Student Support, 18%
Mental Health, 11%
Crisis Intervention, 7%
Professional Development, 6%
Behavioral Issues, 5%
Financial Aid, 4%

Guidance Counselor vs. similar jobs

Guidance Counselor related careers

Guidance Counselor related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Community and Social Services Industry
Guidance Counselor
Guidance Counselor vs Student Support Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse community and social services jobs