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The differences between mental health counselors and residence 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 residence counselor. Additionally, a mental health counselor has an average salary of $49,471, which is higher than the $34,931 average annual salary of a residence counselor.
The top three skills for a mental health counselor include social work, patients and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a residence counselor are developmental disabilities, CPR, and community resources.
| Mental Health Counselor | Residence Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $49,471 | $34,931 |
| Hourly rate | $23.78 | $16.79 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 36% |
| Number of jobs | 110,752 | 78,872 |
| Job satisfaction | 2 | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
Residence counselors are professionals who are responsible for providing services such as one-to-one therapy and crisis support to clients who are living in group homes or assisted-living facilities. These counselors must assist adults with moderate intellectual disabilities to find employment while monitoring their work performance. They must facilitate and supervise daily personal care and activities for developmentally disabled adults. Residence counselors must also encourage clients to participate in community activities that can contribute to the development of skills necessary for independent living.
Mental health counselors and residence counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mental Health Counselor | Residence Counselor | |
| Average salary | $49,471 | $34,931 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $70,000 | Between $28,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | Longview, WA | Phoenix, AZ |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Family Life Counseling & Psychiatric Services | McLean Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Education |
There are a few differences between a mental health counselor and a residence counselor in terms of educational background:
| Mental Health Counselor | Residence Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between mental health counselors' and residence counselors' demographics:
| Mental Health Counselor | Residence Counselor | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 31.4% Female, 68.6% | Male, 34.5% Female, 65.5% |
| 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% |