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The differences between life skills instructors and direct care counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a direct care counselor has an average salary of $33,422, which is higher than the $30,844 average annual salary of a life skills instructor.
The top three skills for a life skills instructor include developmental disabilities, CPR and kids. The most important skills for a direct care counselor are crisis intervention, autism, and CPR.
| Life Skills Instructor | Direct Care Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $30,844 | $33,422 |
| Hourly rate | $14.83 | $16.07 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 36% |
| Number of jobs | 64,039 | 123,519 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 37 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 12 | - |
A life skills instructor advises people that are seeking support and coaching. They are responsible for helping them learn and develop skills like doing day-to-day tasks, interacting with other people, caring for themselves, as well as doing basic duties. Also, they can offer to coach for playing sports, learning new things, doing different exercises, and tips for employment.
A direct care counselor provides direct counseling and assistance to the elderly or individuals with disabilities and mental issues. They usually work at rehabilitation centers or care facilities and work together with nurses or caregivers to administer different treatment plans, monitor and support the patients' progress, and help the patients carry out daily activities such as performing hygienic or routine living tasks. Moreover, a direct care counselor may also develop and implement various healthcare programs and recreational activities while adhering to the facility's policies and regulations.
Life skills instructors and direct care counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Life Skills Instructor | Direct Care Counselor | |
| Average salary | $30,844 | $33,422 |
| Salary range | Between $21,000 And $44,000 | Between $22,000 And $49,000 |
| Highest paying City | Norwich, CT | - |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | - |
| Best paying company | University of California, Berkeley | - |
| Best paying industry | Professional | - |
There are a few differences between a life skills instructor and a direct care counselor in terms of educational background:
| Life Skills Instructor | Direct Care Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | - |
Here are the differences between life skills instructors' and direct care counselors' demographics:
| Life Skills Instructor | Direct Care Counselor | |
| Average age | 37 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.9% Female, 66.1% | Male, 31.5% Female, 68.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.1% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 5.1% White, 71.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 8.3% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 7% |