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The differences between peer counselors and counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a peer counselor has an average salary of $37,464, which is higher than the $36,225 average annual salary of a counselor.
The top three skills for a peer counselor include peer support, substance abuse and wic program. The most important skills for a counselor are patients, crisis intervention, and substance abuse.
| Peer Counselor | Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $37,464 | $36,225 |
| Hourly rate | $18.01 | $17.42 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 76,608 | 77,536 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 2 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Typically working at schools, communities, or medical facilities, a peer counselor specializes in providing counseling to an individual or group of people, aiming to help them deal with and overcome crises. Their duties often include conducting initial assessments through interviews and appointments, listening to clients and offering advice, recommending opportunities, referring them to other support agencies, and coordinating treatment services as needed. Above all, a peer counselor must provide emotional support and guidance to clients, giving them comfort and a shoulder to lean on.
Often, counselors are known to be the go-to person in times we are in need of emotional and psychological support. They help people to manage and overcome the issues which affect their mental health and well-being. Counselors face different kind of situations which may involve trauma, addiction, disabilities, abuse, suicide, anger management, career, and even personal relationships. They provide care, counseling, rehabilitation, and support services. Every counseling requires collaborative effort both from the counselor and client to become effective.
Peer counselors and counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Peer Counselor | Counselor | |
| Average salary | $37,464 | $36,225 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $57,000 | Between $19,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | Hayward, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | The Brooklyn Hospital Center | - |
| Best paying industry | Education | Education |
There are a few differences between a peer counselor and a counselor in terms of educational background:
| Peer Counselor | Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between peer counselors' and counselors' demographics:
| Peer Counselor | Counselor | |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.0% Female, 67.0% | Male, 38.5% Female, 61.5% |
| 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, 15.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 3.5% White, 63.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 9% |