Primary counselor vs counselor

The differences between primary counselors and counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a primary counselor has an average salary of $44,580, which is higher than the $36,225 average annual salary of a counselor.

The top three skills for a primary counselor include group therapy sessions, mental health and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a counselor are patients, crisis intervention, and substance abuse.

Primary counselor vs counselor overview

	Primary Counselor	Counselor
Yearly salary	$44,580	$36,225
Hourly rate	$21.43	$17.42
Growth rate	9%	10%
Number of jobs	65,753	77,536
Job satisfaction	-	2
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Average age	39	44
Years of experience	6	-

Primary counselor vs counselor salary

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

	Primary Counselor	Counselor
Average salary	$44,580	$36,225
Salary range	Between $31,000 And $63,000	Between $19,000 And $67,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	Education

Differences between primary counselor and counselor education

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

	Primary Counselor	Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	Hunter College of the City University of New York	University of Pennsylvania

Primary counselor vs counselor demographics

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

	Primary Counselor	Counselor
Average age	39	44
Gender ratio	Male, 34.5% Female, 65.5%	Male, 38.5% Female, 61.5%
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, 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	12%	9%

Differences between primary counselor and 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.

Counselor example responsibilities.

Maintain a safe program through ongoing CPI training.
Utilize de-escalation skills (CPI) when necessary.
Instill confidence, improve all components of writing and reading, and study strategies.
Arrange ESL tutoring and perform as liaison between students, parents, and school administrators.
Advise students into their major field of study, and assisting them with choosing the correct curriculum.
Operate a full service litigation office that evolve from general litigation to criminal litigation to federal criminal trials.

Primary counselor vs 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 counselor skills

Patients, 13%
Crisis Intervention, 12%
Substance Abuse, 12%
Social Work, 10%
Community Resources, 4%
CPR, 4%