Primary counselor vs community health counselor

The differences between primary counselors and community health counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a primary counselor, becoming a community health counselor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a primary counselor has an average salary of $44,580, which is higher than the $43,304 average annual salary of a community health counselor.

The top three skills for a primary counselor include group therapy sessions, mental health and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a community health counselor are social work, behavioral health, and patients.

Primary counselor vs community health counselor overview

	Primary Counselor	Community Health Counselor
Yearly salary	$44,580	$43,304
Hourly rate	$21.43	$20.82
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	65,753	131,804
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Average age	39	41
Years of experience	6	4

Primary counselor vs community health counselor salary

Primary counselors and community health counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Primary Counselor	Community Health Counselor
Average salary	$44,580	$43,304
Salary range	Between $31,000 And $63,000	Between $29,000 And $63,000
Highest paying City	-	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	Apple
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between primary counselor and community health counselor education

There are a few differences between a primary counselor and a community health counselor in terms of educational background:

	Primary Counselor	Community Health Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 61%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	Hunter College of the City University of New York	California State University - Long Beach

Primary counselor vs community health counselor demographics

Here are the differences between primary counselors' and community health counselors' demographics:

	Primary Counselor	Community Health Counselor
Average age	39	41
Gender ratio	Male, 34.5% Female, 65.5%	Male, 31.4% Female, 68.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 4.6% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 3.2% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	12%	15%

Differences between primary counselor and community health counselor duties and responsibilities

Primary counselor example responsibilities.

Coordinate individual client treatment plans to achieve individual and department rehabilitation goals.
Conduct intake screenings and assessment for treatment entry and appropriateness per ASAM criteria.
Develop and implement individualized treatment plans base on patient needs and ASAM criteria.
Maintain accurate and complete chart documentation regarding patient attitude and progress in the rehabilitation process following program protocols.
Facilitate group activities, arrange for outside recovery-orient NA/AA meetings, and provide a safe environment for recovering patients.
Facilitate substance abuse group counseling sessions to assist patients in recognizing causal factors of substance abuse and in developing coping behaviors.

Community health counselor example responsibilities.

Provide group and individual therapy along with social service coordination for patients in short term stabilization psychiatric unit.
Train in medication administration, therapeutic holds and CPR.
Maintain cleanliness of home provide assistance with cleaning rooms and common areas.
Train in MNT, TCI, first aide and CPR with several other essential trainings.
Complete insurance verification information for Medicaid participants.
Maintain caseload paperwork in accordance with Georgia Medicaid requirements.

Primary counselor vs community health counselor skills

Common primary counselor skills

Group Therapy Sessions, 10%
Mental Health, 10%
Crisis Intervention, 10%
Patients, 8%
Intake Assessments, 8%
Substance Abuse Treatment, 8%

Common community health counselor skills

Social Work, 19%
Behavioral Health, 17%
Patients, 17%
Crisis Intervention, 7%
Rehabilitation, 4%
Discharge Planning, 3%

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Primary Counselor
Primary Counselor vs Community Health Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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