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The differences between intake counselors and lead counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a lead counselor has an average salary of $178,478, 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 a lead counselor are legal advice, litigation, and work ethic.
| Intake Counselor | Lead Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $44,574 | $178,478 |
| Hourly rate | $21.43 | $85.81 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 77,050 | 74,247 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
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 Lead Counselor is responsible for the management of patients' mental health and rehabilitation services. Often, they help them to recover from a tragic or traumatic kind of situation. They also help the patient cope with family and job-related stress and other personal issues. They teach other staff and especially clients to educate them in dealing with stress management and eventually monitor their progress. This person should also have strong written and verbal communication skills.
Intake counselors and lead counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Intake Counselor | Lead Counselor | |
| Average salary | $44,574 | $178,478 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $60,000 | Between $100,000 And $315,000 |
| Highest paying City | Scottsdale, AZ | Los Angeles, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | HonorHealth | MDI |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | - |
There are a few differences between an intake counselor and a lead counselor in terms of educational background:
| Intake Counselor | Lead Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between intake counselors' and lead counselors' demographics:
| Intake Counselor | Lead Counselor | |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 25.5% Female, 74.5% | Male, 41.6% Female, 58.4% |
| 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, 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 | 15% | 11% |