Program counselor vs counseling psychologist

The differences between program counselors and counseling psychologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a program counselor, becoming a counseling psychologist takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a counseling psychologist has an average salary of $80,294, which is higher than the $43,820 average annual salary of a program counselor.

The top three skills for a program counselor include developmental disabilities, patients and community integration. The most important skills for a counseling psychologist are mental health, crisis intervention, and behavioral health.

Program counselor vs counseling psychologist overview

	Program Counselor	Counseling Psychologist
Yearly salary	$43,820	$80,294
Hourly rate	$21.07	$38.60
Growth rate	10%	14%
Number of jobs	133,491	12,337
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Average age	41	43
Years of experience	4	6

Program counselor vs counseling psychologist salary

Program counselors and counseling psychologists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Program Counselor	Counseling Psychologist
Average salary	$43,820	$80,294
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $58,000	Between $55,000 And $116,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	Berkeley, CA
Highest paying state	New York	California
Best paying company	Russell Sage College	Hca Hospital Services Of San Diego
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between program counselor and counseling psychologist education

There are a few differences between a program counselor and a counseling psychologist in terms of educational background:

	Program Counselor	Counseling Psychologist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 43%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	Northwestern University

Program counselor vs counseling psychologist demographics

Here are the differences between program counselors' and counseling psychologists' demographics:

	Program Counselor	Counseling Psychologist
Average age	41	43
Gender ratio	Male, 35.9% Female, 64.1%	Male, 35.0% Female, 65.0%
Race ratio	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%	Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 3.3% White, 76.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	15%	12%

Differences between program counselor and counseling psychologist duties and responsibilities

Program counselor example responsibilities.

Lead recreational activities for adolescents with ADHD and other behavior disorders.
Provide education, within hospital setting, to adolescent psychiatric patients regarding substance abuse and dependency issues.
Receive CPR and first aid certifications.
Attend and receive CPR and basic restraint technique certifications.
Assist each client with compassion to encourage them on their journey to recovery.
Encourage and mentore residents during their recovery and rehabilitation process.

Counseling psychologist example responsibilities.

Conduct and write triennial and initial assessments, participate and lead IEP meetings, functional behavioral assessments, behavior support plans.
Advance training in DBT and EMDR.
Establish a join ADHD clinic with one of the local pediatricians.
Provide psycho-diagnostic and psycho therapeutic services to cancer patients.
Develop a team orient treatment plan for patients producing quantitative measurable results.
Develop training materials for alcohol abuse treatment & rehabilitation services, including prevention of domestic violence, child abuse and homelessness.

Program counselor vs counseling psychologist skills

Common program counselor skills

Developmental Disabilities, 11%
Patients, 11%
Community Integration, 9%
CPR, 8%
Social Work, 8%
Medication Administration, 7%

Common counseling psychologist skills

Mental Health, 27%
Crisis Intervention, 18%
Behavioral Health, 9%
Social Work, 7%
Psychological Services, 7%
Rehabilitation, 5%

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Program Counselor
Program Counselor vs Counseling Psychologist

Updated January 8, 2025

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