Mental health counselor vs crisis counselor

The differences between mental health counselors and crisis counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a mental health counselor and a crisis counselor. Additionally, a crisis counselor has an average salary of $51,142, which is higher than the $49,471 average annual salary of a mental health counselor.

The top three skills for a mental health counselor include social work, patients and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a crisis counselor are social work, patients, and mental health crisis.

Mental health counselor vs crisis counselor overview

	Mental Health Counselor	Crisis Counselor
Yearly salary	$49,471	$51,142
Hourly rate	$23.78	$24.59
Growth rate	9%	12%
Number of jobs	110,752	76,255
Job satisfaction	2	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	4	4

What does a mental health counselor do?

A mental health counselor is responsible for helping patients deal with their emotional and mental disorders by developing treatment plans and conducting regular counseling to track the patient's progress and condition. Mental health counselors encourage active communication from their patients, provide coping strategies for triggering situations, seek advice from other health care professionals, and guide patients on doing other activities that would help them relax. A mental health counselor must have excellent knowledge of the mental health disciplines to assist patients in their healthy lifestyle development.

What does a crisis counselor do?

A crisis counselor is responsible for providing assistance and emotional support to clients under crises or mental health emergencies caused by stress, trauma, grief, and other factors. Most crisis counselors work at clinics or counseling centers, and there are instances where they can be at schools and organizations. Aside from diagnosing and providing specific treatments, a crisis counselor must also build rapport with clients, helping them feel comfortable every step of the way, and serving as a positive influence in their journey to recovery.

Mental health counselor vs crisis counselor salary

Mental health counselors and crisis counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Mental Health Counselor	Crisis Counselor
Average salary	$49,471	$51,142
Salary range	Between $34,000 And $70,000	Between $37,000 And $69,000
Highest paying City	Longview, WA	-
Highest paying state	Washington	-
Best paying company	Family Life Counseling & Psychiatric Services	-
Best paying industry	Health Care	-

Differences between mental health counselor and crisis counselor education

There are a few differences between a mental health counselor and a crisis counselor in terms of educational background:

	Mental Health Counselor	Crisis Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	California State University - Long Beach

Mental health counselor vs crisis counselor demographics

Here are the differences between mental health counselors' and crisis counselors' demographics:

	Mental Health Counselor	Crisis Counselor
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 31.4% Female, 68.6%	Male, 22.9% Female, 77.1%
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, 11.3% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 3.2% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	15%	15%

Differences between mental health counselor and crisis counselor duties and responsibilities

Mental health counselor example responsibilities.

Provide clinical consultation to consumers and clients regarding manage care services and other benefits available to them through their EAP programs.
Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
Certify in CPI (crisis intervention technique).
Assist with crisis intervention, (CPI) maintains treatment activities.
Provide mental health assessment and evaluation of detainees refer by facility staff or identify by pre-screening (booking or nursing).
Assess for special needs during booking process.

Crisis counselor example responsibilities.

Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
Conduct mental health evaluations and behavioral health crisis assessments for determination of functioning and mental status of patients.
Provide education to patients about relevant aspects of mental illness and/or chemical dependency to support maximum utilization of treatment.
Train to use CPI, MOAB, and CPR as needed.
Aid callers/chatters suffering from various life crises by use of strong listening skills, empathy, and compassion.
Make patient referrals to outpatient medical clinics, community services, or rehabilitation facilities.

Mental health counselor vs crisis counselor skills

Common mental health counselor skills

Social Work, 17%
Patients, 16%
Crisis Intervention, 9%
Patient Care, 6%
Mental Health Issues, 5%
Rehabilitation, 4%

Common crisis counselor skills

Social Work, 21%
Patients, 8%
Mental Health Crisis, 6%
Social Services, 5%
Crisis Management, 4%
Suicide Prevention, 4%

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Mental Health Counselor vs Crisis Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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