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The differences between mental health consultants and vocational rehabilitation counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a mental health consultant, becoming a vocational rehabilitation counselor takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a mental health consultant has an average salary of $51,006, which is higher than the $45,871 average annual salary of a vocational rehabilitation counselor.
The top three skills for a mental health consultant include healthcare, substance abuse and patients. The most important skills for a vocational rehabilitation counselor are rehabilitation, substance abuse, and transferable.
| Mental Health Consultant | Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $51,006 | $45,871 |
| Hourly rate | $24.52 | $22.05 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 127,233 | 78,174 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
A mental health consultant is responsible for providing counseling and emotional support to manage a client's issue and control behaviors. Mental health consultants must have excellent communication and listening skills to understand and assess the client's situation and evaluate the level of their emotional and psychological distress. They also need to monitor progress on the client's state and use different psychotherapy methods and treatment plans. A mental health consultant should also reach out to other health professionals to ask assistance for any recovery options as needed.
The primary role of a vocational rehabilitation counselor is to help disabled people to live fully and independently. Vocational rehabilitation counselors assist people with disabilities in securing employment. They provide health care to those who are coping with mental illness, substance abuse issues, psychological disorders, or physical disabilities. Knowledge of patient care, health management, rehabilitation program, and clinical psychology is a must for this job.
Mental health consultants and vocational rehabilitation counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mental Health Consultant | Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor | |
| Average salary | $51,006 | $45,871 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $75,000 | Between $33,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Williston, ND |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Guidehouse | New York State Restaurant Association |
| Best paying industry | Government | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a mental health consultant and a vocational rehabilitation counselor in terms of educational background:
| Mental Health Consultant | Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between mental health consultants' and vocational rehabilitation counselors' demographics:
| Mental Health Consultant | Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 29.3% Female, 70.7% | Male, 29.4% Female, 70.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 3.1% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 13.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 2.9% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 15% | 21% |