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The differences between program counselors and student support counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a program counselor has an average salary of $43,820, which is higher than the $41,329 average annual salary of a student support counselor.
The top three skills for a program counselor include developmental disabilities, patients and community integration. The most important skills for a student support counselor are student support, mental health, and crisis intervention.
| Program Counselor | Student Support Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $43,820 | $41,329 |
| Hourly rate | $21.07 | $19.87 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 133,491 | 134,839 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
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.
A student support counselor is responsible for identifying the students' strengths and challenges through one-on-one counseling and establishing solutions to help them overcome difficulties and achieve their educational goals and aspirations. Student support counselors assist the faculty in determining appropriate programs and activities to develop the students' capabilities, especially as a way of preparing them with their career objectives. They also coordinate with the students' families for extended guidance and support for their growth and development.
Program counselors and student support counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Program Counselor | Student Support Counselor | |
| Average salary | $43,820 | $41,329 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $58,000 | Between $29,000 And $57,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Teaneck, NJ |
| Highest paying state | New York | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Russell Sage College | Mercy College |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Education |
There are a few differences between a program counselor and a student support counselor in terms of educational background:
| Program Counselor | Student Support 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 |
Here are the differences between program counselors' and student support counselors' demographics:
| Program Counselor | Student Support Counselor | |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.9% Female, 64.1% | Male, 34.3% Female, 65.7% |
| 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% |