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Life coach vs mentor

The differences between life coaches and mentors 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 $35,581 average annual salary of a mentor.

The top three skills for a life coach include relationship building, mental health and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a mentor are role model, mathematics, and mental health.

Life coach vs mentor overview

Life CoachMentor
Yearly salary$41,947$35,581
Hourly rate$20.17$17.11
Growth rate20%12%
Number of jobs25,6423,625
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 55%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
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 mentor do?

Mentors are individuals who are usually experienced or considered experts in their field. They provide guidance and inspiration to the people they mentor, often called mentees. Mentors give advice whenever their mentees need them, usually on topics related to their career or studies. They may help their mentees with career concerns by helping them map out a career plan, coaching them to prepare them for interviews, and providing insights on the industry or field they are in. Mentors also help train their mentees in their jobs by providing feedback and guiding them so that they may improve.

Life coach vs mentor salary

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

Life CoachMentor
Average salary$41,947$35,581
Salary rangeBetween $27,000 And $64,000Between $20,000 And $62,000
Highest paying City-Reston, VA
Highest paying state-Virginia
Best paying company-Eli Lilly and Company
Best paying industry-Education

Differences between life coach and mentor education

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

Life CoachMentor
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 55%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Most common majorPsychologyPsychology
Most common collegeNorthwestern UniversityNorthwestern University

Life coach vs mentor demographics

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

Life CoachMentor
Average age3642
Gender ratioMale, 32.5% Female, 67.5%Male, 41.4% Female, 58.6%
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, 10.7% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 9.6% White, 56.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage8%11%

Differences between life coach and mentor 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.
  • Show more

Mentor example responsibilities.

  • Ensure community youth receive timely access to CBHI services by managing waitlist per MCE requirements.
  • Provide academic support services for elementary students requesting assistance in math
  • Help develop IEP goals and objectives.
  • Assist new students with Javascript concepts and frameworks.
  • Tutor student athletes in economics courses of various levels.
  • Calculate GPA's to help students matriculate in program curriculum.
  • Show more

Life coach vs mentor skills

Common life coach skills
  • Relationship Building, 17%
  • Mental Health, 10%
  • Crisis Intervention, 6%
  • Community Resources, 6%
  • Developmental Disabilities, 5%
  • Behavior Modification, 5%
Common mentor skills
  • Role Model, 11%
  • Mathematics, 9%
  • Mental Health, 8%
  • CPR, 7%
  • Developmental Disabilities, 6%
  • Community Resources, 6%

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