Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between rehabilitation counselors and community health counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a rehabilitation counselor, becoming a community health counselor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a community health counselor has an average salary of $43,304, which is higher than the $43,111 average annual salary of a rehabilitation counselor.
The top three skills for a rehabilitation counselor include rehabilitation, social work and mental health. The most important skills for a community health counselor are social work, behavioral health, and patients.
| Rehabilitation Counselor | Community Health Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $43,111 | $43,304 |
| Hourly rate | $20.73 | $20.82 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 77,220 | 131,804 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
Rehabilitation counselors are professional counselors who are responsible for helping individuals cope with their disabilities to live independently. These counselors are required to consult other professionals, family members, and individuals when developing a treatment plan based on the goals, strengths, limitations, and personal values of their clients. They must make connections with community support so that individuals with disabilities can avail of the types of services that are available. Rehabilitation counselors must also find employers and educate them in understanding the needs and abilities of disabled people.
A community health counselor typically provides health and welfare support to the disadvantaged members of a community. Their responsibilities revolve around devising strategies to reach out to community members, coordinating with schools and other institutions, and building positive relationships with the communities that they serve. They may also provide counseling sessions to individuals of all ages, conduct observations and assessments, perform interventions, and identify any signs of abuse or neglect, reporting to the authorities right away. Furthermore, they may refer families or individuals to other social services unit if necessary.
Rehabilitation counselors and community health counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Rehabilitation Counselor | Community Health Counselor | |
| Average salary | $43,111 | $43,304 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $58,000 | Between $29,000 And $63,000 |
| Highest paying City | Cleveland, OH | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Ohio | California |
| Best paying company | North Shore Healthcare | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Government | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a rehabilitation counselor and a community health counselor in terms of educational background:
| Rehabilitation Counselor | Community Health Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Washington | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between rehabilitation counselors' and community health counselors' demographics:
| Rehabilitation Counselor | Community Health Counselor | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.9% Female, 66.1% | Male, 31.4% Female, 68.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 2.9% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7% | 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 | 21% | 15% |