Peer counselor vs education counselor

The differences between peer counselors and education counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an education counselor has an average salary of $45,465, which is higher than the $37,464 average annual salary of a peer counselor.

The top three skills for a peer counselor include peer support, substance abuse and wic program. The most important skills for an education counselor are mental health, crisis intervention, and financial aid.

Peer counselor vs education counselor overview

	Peer Counselor	Education Counselor
Yearly salary	$37,464	$45,465
Hourly rate	$18.01	$21.86
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	76,608	40,323
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	-	-

What does a peer counselor do?

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.

What does an education counselor do?

The work of education counselors revolves around giving students advice about their course choice, career structuring, and supporting them in their school endeavors. They must have the empathy to help students adjust to their everyday struggles and personal conflicts. They often give students information about scholarship grants and help them apply. They organize seminars talking about alcohol consumption and smoking. Counselors also discuss strategies to improve school performance regarding overall counseling services.

Peer counselor vs education counselor salary

Peer counselors and education counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Peer Counselor	Education Counselor
Average salary	$37,464	$45,465
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $57,000	Between $33,000 And $61,000
Highest paying City	Hayward, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	The Brooklyn Hospital Center	Silicon Valley International School
Best paying industry	Education	Education

Differences between peer counselor and education counselor education

There are a few differences between a peer counselor and an education counselor in terms of educational background:

	Peer Counselor	Education Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 61%	Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Peer counselor vs education counselor demographics

Here are the differences between peer counselors' and education counselors' demographics:

	Peer Counselor	Education Counselor
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 33.0% Female, 67.0%	Male, 33.3% Female, 66.7%
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 peer counselor and education counselor duties and responsibilities

Peer counselor example responsibilities.

Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
Refer clients (as needed) to inpatient or outpatient substance abuse rehabilitation programs and assist them in qualifying for services.
Formulate and edit nutrition education materials and monthly newsletters for WIC participants.
Counsele and enroll people in ACA and ABE.
Work with multiple groups of undergraduate students to improve GPA's.
Present information via PowerPoint and hand-outs to students on the dangers of poor credit decisions.

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Education counselor example responsibilities.

Provide consultation and in-service to teachers, administrators and parents regarding IEP's, guidance and counseling practices and programs.
Collaborate as member of IEP teams, with school and district representatives and families, to identify specific student needs areas.
Work towards empowering juveniles and their families to support a positive lifestyle by providing strength base intensive intervention and rehabilitation services.
Participate in special education meetings as administrator, coordinate state testing and assist with RTI identifications.
Facilitate RTI process on caseload through identification, implementation, and through monitoring progress for further referrals for at-risk students.
Ensure client safety and provide necessary intervention toward adolescent teens admit into an inpatient drug and mental health treatment facility.

Peer counselor vs education counselor skills

Common peer counselor skills

Peer Support, 14%
Substance Abuse, 9%
WIC Program, 9%
Crisis Intervention, 7%
Community Resources, 6%
Mental Illness, 6%

Common education counselor skills

Mental Health, 11%
Crisis Intervention, 10%
Financial Aid, 6%
Behavioral Problems, 6%
Applied Behavior Analysis, 5%
Educational Programs, 5%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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