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Life coach vs career coach

The differences between life coaches and career coaches can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a life coach has an average salary of $41,947, which is higher than the $41,858 average annual salary of a career coach.

The top three skills for a life coach include relationship building, mental health and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a career coach are career development, professional development, and career services.

Life coach vs career coach overview

Life CoachCareer Coach
Yearly salary$41,947$41,858
Hourly rate$20.17$20.12
Growth rate20%10%
Number of jobs25,64242,622
Job satisfaction-5
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 55%Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Average age3642
Years of experience6-

What does a life coach do?

A Life Coach specializes in presenting techniques and mental roadmaps to help clients progress towards their short and long-term goals in various aspects of life. Their responsibilities include facilitating discussions in a one-on-one or group setting, identifying the clients' needs, developing action plans and other strategies to reach goals, and encouraging the clients' progress. A Life Coach may also create various projects and programs to help clients navigate through multiple paths and obstacles, providing support along the way.

What does a career coach do?

A career coach is responsible for helping a person reach their career goals and development by identifying their strengths, weaknesses, and aspirations. Career coaches conduct one-on-one counseling with their clients to share career advice and support them for the professional path. They also build self-confidence in their clients and help them improve their relationship with other people. A career coach must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in mentoring their clients and managing career services according to their clients' needs.

Life coach vs career coach salary

Life coaches and career coaches have different pay scales, as shown below.

Life CoachCareer Coach
Average salary$41,947$41,858
Salary rangeBetween $27,000 And $64,000Between $30,000 And $57,000
Highest paying City-Washington, DC
Highest paying state-California
Best paying company-Hartwick College
Best paying industry-Utilities

Differences between life coach and career coach education

There are a few differences between a life coach and a career coach in terms of educational background:

Life CoachCareer Coach
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 55%Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Most common majorPsychologyBusiness
Most common collegeNorthwestern UniversityUniversity of Pennsylvania

Life coach vs career coach demographics

Here are the differences between life coaches' and career coaches' demographics:

Life CoachCareer Coach
Average age3642
Gender ratioMale, 32.5% Female, 67.5%Male, 29.5% Female, 70.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 5.4% White, 66.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%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 Percentage8%11%

Differences between life coach and career coach duties and responsibilities

Life coach example responsibilities.

  • Assist clients with personal and professional coaching, copywriting, managing, marketing and promotions.
  • Incorporate MBTI and other coaching tools to help executives and sales teams achieve increase productivity.
  • Train and experience at managing challenging classroom situations using CPI methods and positive behavior reinforcement practices.
  • Perform additional responsibilities as deemed appropriate by school and district supervisors such as organizing and managing elementary school mathematics information nights.
  • Deliver MBTI leadership workshop for executive staff providing organizational development solutions.
  • Provide support to individuals in vocational rehabilitation and work with them learning employment and socialization skills.
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Career coach example responsibilities.

  • Offer EEO training to members at various sites.
  • Schedule clients for work readiness training base on their IEP.
  • Create and update PowerPoint presentations and trainers' notes to reflect current curriculum.
  • Develop and implement a successful process to streamline the intake and orientation for the WIA customers.
  • Plan events, such as college visits, alumni relations efforts, panel discussions, and college/career fairs
  • Conduct vocational rehabilitation assessments and create action steps and goals cater to the client in finding stable employment.
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Life coach vs career coach skills

Common life coach skills
  • Relationship Building, 17%
  • Mental Health, 10%
  • Crisis Intervention, 6%
  • Community Resources, 6%
  • Developmental Disabilities, 5%
  • Behavior Modification, 5%
Common career coach skills
  • Career Development, 10%
  • Professional Development, 8%
  • Career Services, 6%
  • Career Exploration, 5%
  • Social Work, 5%
  • Community Resources, 4%

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