High school counselor vs employment counselor

The differences between high school counselors and employment counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a high school counselor has an average salary of $48,361, which is higher than the $43,848 average annual salary of an employment counselor.

The top three skills for a high school counselor include mental health, financial aid and community resources. The most important skills for an employment counselor are litigation, employment law, and HR.

High school counselor vs employment counselor overview

	High School Counselor	Employment Counselor
Yearly salary	$48,361	$43,848
Hourly rate	$23.25	$21.08
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	93,675	29,459
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	-	-

What does a high school counselor do?

High school counselors are professional counselors who assist high school students in developing their academic and social skills as well as serve their social and emotional needs. These counselors are required to have one-on-one sessions with students who are experiencing personal problems. They are required to guide students with their college application process and other avenues such as apprenticeships or training programs. High school counselors must also educate students about issues such as drug abuse, bullying, or other significant problems the students are facing.

What does an employment counselor do?

The employment counselor is someone who guides and advises people on how to choose, manage and continue in a career path they've chosen. The employment counselor educates people on each career's pros and cons, giving them insights into what to expect, salary rates, and employment chances in a particular profession. The employment counselor will also show how to excel in a specific career, offer ideas on what training or seminar to attend and what skills to enhance to achieve an edge over others.

High school counselor vs employment counselor salary

High school counselors and employment counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	High School Counselor	Employment Counselor
Average salary	$48,361	$43,848
Salary range	Between $35,000 And $65,000	Between $26,000 And $71,000
Highest paying City	Santa Rosa, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	The American Musical and Dramatic Academy	Apple
Best paying industry	Professional	Professional

Differences between high school counselor and employment counselor education

There are a few differences between a high school counselor and an employment counselor in terms of educational background:

	High School Counselor	Employment Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Most common major	School Counseling	Psychology
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

High school counselor vs employment counselor demographics

Here are the differences between high school counselors' and employment counselors' demographics:

	High School Counselor	Employment Counselor
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 31.7% Female, 68.3%	Male, 37.1% Female, 62.9%
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 high school counselor and employment counselor duties and responsibilities

High school counselor example responsibilities.

Lead small student groups addressing student concerns about divorce, loneliness, social skills, study skills and recovery.
Assist students with FAFSA guidelines and scholarship searches.
Help students complete FAFSA, and other time-sensitive documents.
Coordinate test administration; conduct score interpretation and informal workshops about the PSAT program.
Administer standardized tests (Stanford 10 and PSAT) and review the results with students, parents and teaching staff.
Facilitate activities ranging from yoga to leadership training.

Employment counselor example responsibilities.

Complete reports, manage client files and process WIA billing invoices for tuition and supplies.
Manage a caseload of Calworks participants in working towards the goal of self-sufficiency and employment.
Monitor caseworkers to ensure rehabilitation services are properly coordinate to aid clients in achieving self-sufficiency.
Source, develop, and implement HRIS systems.
Provide case management to TANF recipients that move clients to employment.
Document in accordance with JCAHO, Medicaid, and all quality improvement standards.

High school counselor vs employment counselor skills

Common high school counselor skills

Mental Health, 7%
Financial Aid, 7%
Community Resources, 7%
Social Work, 6%
Crisis Intervention, 6%
at-Risk, 5%

Common employment counselor skills

Litigation, 16%
Employment Law, 14%
HR, 10%
Employment Litigation, 6%
FLSA, 5%
Training Programs, 4%

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High School Counselor
High School Counselor vs Employment Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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