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The differences between peer counselors and service 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 $35,402 average annual salary of a service counselor.
The top three skills for a peer counselor include peer support, substance abuse and wic program. The most important skills for a service counselor are social work, crisis intervention, and patients.
| Peer Counselor | Service Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $37,464 | $35,402 |
| Hourly rate | $18.01 | $17.02 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 76,608 | 44,284 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Years of experience | - | 12 |
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.
Service counselors provide guidance to couples, individuals, groups, and families who are going through issues that influence their well-being and mental health. They comprehensively approach their clients by utilizing a "wellness" model that focuses on and motivate the client's potentials. Their duties include inspiring clients to talk about their emotions and experiences, helping them determine their action plans and goals, as well as designing therapeutic methods. Also, they may refer their clients to other services or psychologists.
Peer counselors and service counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Peer Counselor | Service Counselor | |
| Average salary | $37,464 | $35,402 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $57,000 | Between $24,000 And $51,000 |
| Highest paying City | Hayward, CA | Urban Honolulu, HI |
| Highest paying state | California | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | The Brooklyn Hospital Center | |
| Best paying industry | Education | Education |
There are a few differences between a peer counselor and a service counselor in terms of educational background:
| Peer Counselor | Service Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | SUNY at Binghamton |
Here are the differences between peer counselors' and service counselors' demographics:
| Peer Counselor | Service Counselor | |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| 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, 12.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.7% Asian, 7.1% White, 54.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |