Pastoral counselor vs guidance counselor

The differences between pastoral counselors and guidance counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a guidance counselor has an average salary of $48,154, which is higher than the $44,254 average annual salary of a pastoral counselor.

The top three skills for a pastoral counselor include spiritual care, pastoral care and educational programs. The most important skills for a guidance counselor are crisis intervention, community resources, and mental health.

Pastoral counselor vs guidance counselor overview

	Pastoral Counselor	Guidance Counselor
Yearly salary	$44,254	$48,154
Hourly rate	$21.28	$23.15
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	28,084	75,740
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	-	-

Pastoral counselor vs guidance counselor salary

Pastoral counselors and guidance counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Pastoral Counselor	Guidance Counselor
Average salary	$44,254	$48,154
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $58,000	Between $36,000 And $64,000
Highest paying City	Plymouth, MA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Northwell Health	Poly Prep Country Day School
Best paying industry	Health Care	Education

Differences between pastoral counselor and guidance counselor education

There are a few differences between a pastoral counselor and a guidance counselor in terms of educational background:

	Pastoral Counselor	Guidance Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 45%	Bachelor's Degree, 51%
Most common major	Theology	School Counseling
Most common college	Boston College	University of Pennsylvania

Pastoral counselor vs guidance counselor demographics

Here are the differences between pastoral counselors' and guidance counselors' demographics:

	Pastoral Counselor	Guidance Counselor
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 56.5% Female, 43.5%	Male, 31.3% Female, 68.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 3.7% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 3.7% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	11%	11%

Differences between pastoral counselor and guidance counselor duties and responsibilities

Pastoral counselor example responsibilities.

Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
Assist members with reclaiming their lives from personal abuses.
Provide individual student planning to assist expulsion students in fulfilling their rehabilitation plan and re-entering the comprehensive school setting.
Plan activities for clients, which include motivational speakers, life-skills, budgeting, goal attainment and religious activities and etc.
Collaborate with peers in leadership capacity at recreational summer camp leading, coordinating and organizing daily activities and weekly field trips.

Guidance counselor example responsibilities.

Utilize Salesforce to manage advertising programs for business owners.
Administer TACHS, PSAT, and other statewide examinations.
Provide individual counseling to students upon their request, SST referrals, or that of a teacher.
Utilize RTI for curriculum design and to identify students in need of extra academic & behavioral support.
Contribute to IEP manifestation meetings with students-parents-teachers.
Complete student educational assessments for upcoming IEP meetings.

Pastoral counselor vs guidance counselor skills

Common pastoral counselor skills

Spiritual Care, 18%
Pastoral Care, 17%
Educational Programs, 14%
Crisis Intervention, 9%
Mental Health, 5%
Substance Abuse, 5%

Common guidance counselor skills

Crisis Intervention, 10%
Community Resources, 5%
Mental Health, 5%
Professional Development, 4%
Financial Aid, 4%
Conflict Resolution, 4%

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Pastoral Counselor
Pastoral Counselor vs Guidance Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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