Primary counselor vs licensed professional counselor

The differences between primary counselors and licensed professional 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 licensed professional counselor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a licensed professional counselor has an average salary of $94,675, which is higher than the $44,580 average annual salary of a primary counselor.

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

Primary counselor vs licensed professional counselor overview

	Primary Counselor	Licensed Professional Counselor
Yearly salary	$44,580	$94,675
Hourly rate	$21.43	$45.52
Growth rate	9%	6%
Number of jobs	65,753	153,612
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Master's Degree, 48%
Average age	39	41
Years of experience	6	4

Primary counselor vs licensed professional counselor salary

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

	Primary Counselor	Licensed Professional Counselor
Average salary	$44,580	$94,675
Salary range	Between $31,000 And $63,000	Between $73,000 And $122,000
Highest paying City	-	New York, NY
Highest paying state	-	New York
Best paying company	-	Bloomberg
Best paying industry	-	Real Estate

Differences between primary counselor and licensed professional counselor education

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

	Primary Counselor	Licensed Professional Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Master's Degree, 48%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	Hunter College of the City University of New York	Northwestern University

Primary counselor vs licensed professional counselor demographics

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

	Primary Counselor	Licensed Professional Counselor
Average age	39	41
Gender ratio	Male, 34.5% Female, 65.5%	Male, 28.8% Female, 71.2%
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 licensed professional 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.

Licensed professional counselor example responsibilities.

Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
Provide clinical supervision to LPC candidates, contract clinicians and counseling psychology practicum/internship students.
Assign, direct, and provide supervision of screening assessment complete by LPC and LCSW.
Conduct intakes and assessments on new admissions and recommend placement into services base on ASAM criteria.
Coordinate with the patient's family, attending physician, other hospitals and agencies following HIPAA standards.
Specialize in OCD and animal assist psychotherapy.

Primary counselor vs licensed professional 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 licensed professional counselor skills

Patients, 13%
Social Work, 12%
LPC, 10%
Real Estate, 10%
Individual Therapy, 8%
Crisis Intervention, 6%

Primary Counselor vs. similar jobs

Primary Counselor related careers

Primary Counselor related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Community and Social Services Industry
Primary Counselor
Primary Counselor vs Licensed Professional Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse community and social services jobs