School counselor vs student services counselor

The differences between school counselors and student services 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 $41,175 average annual salary of a student services counselor.

The top three skills for a school counselor include mental health, community resources and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a student services counselor are customer service, financial aid, and student services.

School counselor vs student services counselor overview

	School Counselor	Student Services Counselor
Yearly salary	$49,904	$41,175
Hourly rate	$23.99	$19.80
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	91,275	104,698
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	-	-

What does a school counselor do?

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.

What does a student services counselor do?

Student Services is a part of the school program that focuses on helping students in their studies. A Student Services Counselor handles this task and is the contact person for all students who need help or who have problems and issues requiring solutions and answers. In a culturally diverse population in schools, it is the student service counselor's job to connect each student to relevant student service programs available in the school. Ultimately, the welfare of the students and their success in school is the goal of this position.

School counselor vs student services counselor salary

School counselors and student services counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	School Counselor	Student Services Counselor
Average salary	$49,904	$41,175
Salary range	Between $36,000 And $68,000	Between $27,000 And $60,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Boston, MA
Highest paying state	California	New Jersey
Best paying company	The Gow School	Kern Community College District
Best paying industry	Education	Government

Differences between school counselor and student services counselor education

There are a few differences between a school counselor and a student services counselor in terms of educational background:

	School Counselor	Student Services Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Most common major	School Counseling	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

School counselor vs student services counselor demographics

Here are the differences between school counselors' and student services counselors' demographics:

	School Counselor	Student Services Counselor
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 26.1% Female, 73.9%	Male, 33.9% Female, 66.1%
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, 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	11%	11%

Differences between school counselor and student services counselor duties and responsibilities

School counselor example responsibilities.

Manage open houses, recruitment, and conduct interviews for GED student enrollment.
Travel to professional conferences and to visit colleges and universities across the country for professional development.
Attend educational meetings (IEP, IST, CCT, etc . )
Create and implement FBA's.
Complete CPR training and other necessary training classes.
Communicate with DCF in regards to students as needed

Student services counselor example responsibilities.

Assist in all aspects of the FAFSA, insuring that every eligible student apply accurately.
Verify FAFSA applications for accuracy.
Plan retention and recruitment opportunities for students, prospective employers and alumni through interdepartmental and professional cooperative efforts.
Create, construct and maintain a student info PowerPoint presentation.
Draft general email correspondence, introduction/thank you letters, excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations.
Develop formal policies/procedures for daily operations such as program approvals/tracking, financial tracking systems, staff meetings and leadership opportunities.

School counselor vs student services counselor skills

Common school counselor skills

Mental Health, 10%
Community Resources, 8%
Crisis Intervention, 6%
Professional Development, 5%
Behavioral Issues, 4%
CPR, 4%

Common student services counselor skills

Customer Service, 18%
Financial Aid, 11%
Student Services, 10%
Social Work, 7%
Rehabilitation, 7%
Mental Health, 4%

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School Counselor vs Student Services Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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