Primary therapist vs clinical counselor

The differences between primary therapists and clinical counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a primary therapist and a clinical counselor. Additionally, a primary therapist has an average salary of $59,826, which is higher than the $54,191 average annual salary of a clinical counselor.

The top three skills for a primary therapist include patients, social work and group therapy sessions. The most important skills for a clinical counselor are social work, patients, and foster care.

Primary therapist vs clinical counselor overview

	Primary Therapist	Clinical Counselor
Yearly salary	$59,826	$54,191
Hourly rate	$28.76	$26.05
Growth rate	9%	17%
Number of jobs	85,127	146,133
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Master's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Average age	45	41
Years of experience	4	4

What does a primary therapist do?

Primary therapists are the main point of contact for patients concerning wellness and overall mental health. Those who choose this career path will be expected to supervise and manage efficient treatment according to plan, and to manage between six and eight patients at a time, keeping in constant communication with these patients and various specialists.

What does a clinical counselor do?

A Clinical Counselor interviews clients to assess their mental health and behavioral problems. They examine issues such as substance abuse, depression, stress, aging and self-image.

Primary therapist vs clinical counselor salary

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

	Primary Therapist	Clinical Counselor
Average salary	$59,826	$54,191
Salary range	Between $43,000 And $83,000	Between $43,000 And $67,000
Highest paying City	Thousand Oaks, CA	Bethesda, MD
Highest paying state	California	Maryland
Best paying company	Appalachian Regional Healthcare	Novo Nordisk
Best paying industry	Finance	Professional

Differences between primary therapist and clinical counselor education

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

	Primary Therapist	Clinical Counselor
Most common degree	Master's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	California State University - Long Beach

Primary therapist vs clinical counselor demographics

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

	Primary Therapist	Clinical Counselor
Average age	45	41
Gender ratio	Male, 27.1% Female, 72.9%	Male, 28.4% Female, 71.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 3.1% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	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	15%	15%

Differences between primary therapist and clinical counselor duties and responsibilities

Primary therapist example responsibilities.

Case managing, intakes, group and individual session, treatment plans, OASAS standards
Provide clinical therapy for severely emotionally disturb adolescents and their families to aid in the rehabilitation process.
Perform crisis intervention, including management of difficult or resistant patients, utilizing clinically appropriate accept techniques and methods.
Assist in development of extend hour IOP and PHP program.
experience, IOP, individual sessions, assessments, case management.
Assist in developing and assessing progress on individual rehabilitation plans.

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Clinical counselor example responsibilities.

Manage a caseload of individuals in programs design to provide vocational rehabilitation and other services to the developmentally disable.
Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
Perform client intake assessments and conduct monthly assessments to identify progress of patients and determine individuals ready to graduate from program.
Review charts to ensure that they are in compliance with OASAS standards.
Initial assessment, diagnosis, ASAM criteria, treatment planning , 3rd party contact, group and individual therapy.
Maintain appropriate documentation per NYS OASAS regulations and APG guidelines

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Primary therapist vs clinical counselor skills

Common primary therapist skills

Patients, 17%
Social Work, 14%
Group Therapy Sessions, 8%
Eating Disorders, 7%
Patient Care, 5%
Crisis Intervention, 5%

Common clinical counselor skills

Social Work, 36%
Patients, 8%
Foster Care, 7%
Independent Living, 6%
Child Abuse, 4%
Clinical Services, 3%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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