Primary counselor vs school counselor

The differences between primary counselors and school counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a school counselor has an average salary of $49,904, 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 school counselor are mental health, community resources, and crisis intervention.

Primary counselor vs school counselor overview

	Primary Counselor	School Counselor
Yearly salary	$44,580	$49,904
Hourly rate	$21.43	$23.99
Growth rate	9%	10%
Number of jobs	65,753	91,275
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Average age	39	42
Years of experience	6	-

Primary counselor vs school counselor salary

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

	Primary Counselor	School Counselor
Average salary	$44,580	$49,904
Salary range	Between $31,000 And $63,000	Between $36,000 And $68,000
Highest paying City	-	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	The Gow School
Best paying industry	-	Education

Differences between primary counselor and school counselor education

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

	Primary Counselor	School Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Most common major	Psychology	School Counseling
Most common college	Hunter College of the City University of New York	University of Pennsylvania

Primary counselor vs school counselor demographics

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

	Primary Counselor	School Counselor
Average age	39	42
Gender ratio	Male, 34.5% Female, 65.5%	Male, 26.1% Female, 73.9%
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, 10.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 3.7% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	12%	11%

Differences between primary counselor and school 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.

School counselor example responsibilities.

Manage open houses, recruitment, and conduct interviews for GED student enrollment.
Travel to professional conferences and to visit colleges and universities across the country for professional development.
Attend educational meetings (IEP, IST, CCT, etc . )
Create and implement FBA's.
Complete CPR training and other necessary training classes.
Communicate with DCF in regards to students as needed

Primary counselor vs school 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 school counselor skills

Mental Health, 10%
Community Resources, 8%
Crisis Intervention, 6%
Professional Development, 5%
Behavioral Issues, 4%
CPR, 4%