Program counselor vs education counselor

The differences between program counselors and education counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an education counselor has an average salary of $45,465, 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 an education counselor are mental health, crisis intervention, and financial aid.

Program counselor vs education counselor overview

	Program Counselor	Education Counselor
Yearly salary	$43,820	$45,465
Hourly rate	$21.07	$21.86
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	133,491	40,323
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Average age	41	42
Years of experience	4	-

What does a program counselor do?

A Program Counselor is an essential part of a school's faculty. It's the counselor's responsibility to ensure that students are benefiting from the school's educational curriculum. This person is also tasked to help students resolve issues and problems that may hinder any educational progress. They are also part of the disciplinary team intended to instill good morals, ethics, and decency in students. The Program Counselor is one of the teacher or professor who has expertise or has a high educational degree in a particular subject or field.

What does an education counselor do?

The work of education counselors revolves around giving students advice about their course choice, career structuring, and supporting them in their school endeavors. They must have the empathy to help students adjust to their everyday struggles and personal conflicts. They often give students information about scholarship grants and help them apply. They organize seminars talking about alcohol consumption and smoking. Counselors also discuss strategies to improve school performance regarding overall counseling services.

Program counselor vs education counselor salary

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

	Program Counselor	Education Counselor
Average salary	$43,820	$45,465
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $58,000	Between $33,000 And $61,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	New York	California
Best paying company	Russell Sage College	Silicon Valley International School
Best paying industry	Health Care	Education

Differences between program counselor and education counselor education

There are a few differences between a program counselor and an education counselor in terms of educational background:

	Program Counselor	Education Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	University of Pennsylvania

Program counselor vs education counselor demographics

Here are the differences between program counselors' and education counselors' demographics:

	Program Counselor	Education Counselor
Average age	41	42
Gender ratio	Male, 35.9% Female, 64.1%	Male, 33.3% Female, 66.7%
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, 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	15%	11%

Differences between program counselor and education counselor 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.

Education counselor example responsibilities.

Provide consultation and in-service to teachers, administrators and parents regarding IEP's, guidance and counseling practices and programs.
Collaborate as member of IEP teams, with school and district representatives and families, to identify specific student needs areas.
Work towards empowering juveniles and their families to support a positive lifestyle by providing strength base intensive intervention and rehabilitation services.
Participate in special education meetings as administrator, coordinate state testing and assist with RTI identifications.
Facilitate RTI process on caseload through identification, implementation, and through monitoring progress for further referrals for at-risk students.
Ensure client safety and provide necessary intervention toward adolescent teens admit into an inpatient drug and mental health treatment facility.

Program counselor vs education counselor skills

Common program counselor skills

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

Common education counselor skills

Mental Health, 11%
Crisis Intervention, 10%
Financial Aid, 6%
Behavioral Problems, 6%
Applied Behavior Analysis, 5%
Educational Programs, 5%

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Program Counselor
Program Counselor vs Education Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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