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The differences between head counselors and mental health counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a head counselor and a mental health counselor. Additionally, a mental health counselor has an average salary of $49,471, which is higher than the $31,654 average annual salary of a head counselor.
The top three skills for a head counselor include camper safety, leadership and CPR. The most important skills for a mental health counselor are social work, patients, and crisis intervention.
| Head Counselor | Mental Health Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $31,654 | $49,471 |
| Hourly rate | $15.22 | $23.78 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 35,991 | 110,752 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 2 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Head counselors and mental health counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Head Counselor | Mental Health Counselor | |
| Average salary | $31,654 | $49,471 |
| Salary range | Between $13,000 And $71,000 | Between $34,000 And $70,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Longview, WA |
| Highest paying state | - | Washington |
| Best paying company | - | Family Life Counseling & Psychiatric Services |
| Best paying industry | - | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a head counselor and a mental health counselor in terms of educational background:
| Head Counselor | Mental Health Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | Duke University | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between head counselors' and mental health counselors' demographics:
| Head Counselor | Mental Health Counselor | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 44.0% Female, 56.0% | Male, 31.4% Female, 68.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.0% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.8% Asian, 5.0% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 15% |