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Peer counselor vs employment counselor

The differences between peer counselors and employment counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an employment counselor has an average salary of $43,848, 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 employment counselor are litigation, employment law, and HR.

Peer counselor vs employment counselor overview

Peer CounselorEmployment Counselor
Yearly salary$37,464$43,848
Hourly rate$18.01$21.08
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs76,60829,459
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 61%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Average age4242
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 employment counselor do?

The employment counselor is someone who guides and advises people on how to choose, manage and continue in a career path they've chosen. The employment counselor educates people on each career's pros and cons, giving them insights into what to expect, salary rates, and employment chances in a particular profession. The employment counselor will also show how to excel in a specific career, offer ideas on what training or seminar to attend and what skills to enhance to achieve an edge over others.

Peer counselor vs employment counselor salary

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

Peer CounselorEmployment Counselor
Average salary$37,464$43,848
Salary rangeBetween $24,000 And $57,000Between $26,000 And $71,000
Highest paying CityHayward, CASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaCalifornia
Best paying companyThe Brooklyn Hospital CenterApple
Best paying industryEducationProfessional

Differences between peer counselor and employment counselor education

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

Peer CounselorEmployment Counselor
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 61%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Most common majorPsychologyPsychology
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Peer counselor vs employment counselor demographics

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

Peer CounselorEmployment Counselor
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 33.0% Female, 67.0%Male, 37.1% Female, 62.9%
Race ratioBlack 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 Percentage11%11%

Differences between peer counselor and employment 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.
  • Show more

Employment counselor example responsibilities.

  • Complete reports, manage client files and process WIA billing invoices for tuition and supplies.
  • Manage a caseload of Calworks participants in working towards the goal of self-sufficiency and employment.
  • Monitor caseworkers to ensure rehabilitation services are properly coordinate to aid clients in achieving self-sufficiency.
  • Source, develop, and implement HRIS systems.
  • Provide case management to TANF recipients that move clients to employment.
  • Document in accordance with JCAHO, Medicaid, and all quality improvement standards.
  • Show more

Peer counselor vs employment 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 employment counselor skills
  • Litigation, 16%
  • Employment Law, 14%
  • HR, 10%
  • Employment Litigation, 6%
  • FLSA, 5%
  • Training Programs, 4%

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