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The differences between school counselors and family counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a school counselor has an average salary of $49,904, which is higher than the $41,510 average annual salary of a family counselor.
The top three skills for a school counselor include mental health, community resources and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a family counselor are social work, community resources, and POC.
| School Counselor | Family Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $49,904 | $41,510 |
| Hourly rate | $23.99 | $19.96 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 91,275 | 93,253 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
A school counselor is responsible for monitoring the students' social and personal development, advising them of their career aspirations, and assisting them with their academic achievements and goals. School counselors also ensure that the students receive the highest learning standards to pave their way towards society's advancement and global competitiveness. They evaluate students' behavior through personal counseling, understanding their challenges, and develop strategies to overcome their needs. A school counselor must have excellent communication and decision-making skills, supporting students with their goals, and honing their skills efficiently.
A Family Counselor treats married couples or family members in order to help them overcome mental or emotional problems. They provide effective treatment measures to help the family members resolve their issues.
School counselors and family counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| School Counselor | Family Counselor | |
| Average salary | $49,904 | $41,510 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $68,000 | Between $27,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | California | New York |
| Best paying company | The Gow School | Shirley Ryan AbilityLab |
| Best paying industry | Education | Professional |
There are a few differences between a school counselor and a family counselor in terms of educational background:
| School Counselor | Family Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Most common major | School Counseling | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between school counselors' and family counselors' demographics:
| School Counselor | Family Counselor | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 26.1% Female, 73.9% | Male, 26.3% Female, 73.7% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 4.6% White, 68.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 6% |