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The differences between intake counselors and alcohol and drug counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an intake counselor, becoming an alcohol and drug counselor takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an alcohol and drug counselor has an average salary of $45,758, which is higher than the $44,574 average annual salary of an intake counselor.
The top three skills for an intake counselor include social work, patients and crisis intervention. The most important skills for an alcohol and drug counselor are patients, social work, and crisis intervention.
| Intake Counselor | Alcohol And Drug Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $44,574 | $45,758 |
| Hourly rate | $21.43 | $22.00 |
| Growth rate | 12% | - |
| Number of jobs | 77,050 | 77,461 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 41 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
An intake counselor is responsible for monitoring patients with mental disability and substance abuse cases, administering treatment plans according to their medical histories and current needs. Intake counselors diagnose patients' conditions through psychological tests and regular counseling. They also coordinate with the patients' family members, as well as other health professionals, to assess the patients' treatment needs. An intake counselor may also handle the payment for treatment plans and reaching out to the insurance provider upon discussing the patient's case.
A drug & alcohol counselor treats addicts in either one-on-one or group settings. They help by educating and developing possible treatment plans for patients to support them in coping with their addictive personalities. A drug and alcohol counselor will evaluate to determine the progress has been successfully made towards recovery. They help patients better understand and overcome their addictions. Counselors help through offering support, rehabilitation, and guidance by using various techniques. Drug & alcohol counselors seek to help an addict find the source of their addiction.
Intake counselors and alcohol and drug counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Intake Counselor | Alcohol And Drug Counselor | |
| Average salary | $44,574 | $45,758 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $60,000 | Between $30,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | Scottsdale, AZ | Santa Rosa, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | HonorHealth | Montage Health |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Professional |
There are a few differences between an intake counselor and an alcohol and drug counselor in terms of educational background:
| Intake Counselor | Alcohol And Drug Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between intake counselors' and alcohol and drug counselors' demographics:
| Intake Counselor | Alcohol And Drug Counselor | |
| Average age | 41 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 25.5% Female, 74.5% | Male, 37.5% Female, 62.5% |
| 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, 11.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 4.6% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 15% | 12% |