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School counselor vs teacher

The differences between school counselors and teachers 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 $47,989 average annual salary of a teacher.

The top three skills for a school counselor include mental health, community resources and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a teacher are ESL, handle scheduling, and kids.

School counselor vs teacher overview

School CounselorTeacher
Yearly salary$49,904$47,989
Hourly rate$23.99$23.07
Growth rate10%4%
Number of jobs91,27571,918
Job satisfaction-4.14
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 48%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age4242
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 teacher do?

Being a teacher is one of the most passionate professions, among others. Teachers educate, motivate, and guide every generation of learners to prepare them for the real world. Every teacher is unique and has their own teaching styles and methods depending on the subject they teach and the age of their students. Oftentimes they also function as a parent, counselor, coach, friend, and even a lawmaker. There is essentially no limit to the roles a teacher portrays.

School counselor vs teacher salary

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

School CounselorTeacher
Average salary$49,904$47,989
Salary rangeBetween $36,000 And $68,000Between $32,000 And $70,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CABaltimore, MD
Highest paying stateCaliforniaMaryland
Best paying companyThe Gow SchoolKing Low Heywood Thomas
Best paying industryEducationEducation

Differences between school counselor and teacher education

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

School CounselorTeacher
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 48%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common majorSchool CounselingElementary Education
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

School counselor vs teacher demographics

Here are the differences between school counselors' and teachers' demographics:

School CounselorTeacher
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 26.1% Female, 73.9%Male, 25.7% Female, 74.3%
Race ratioBlack 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, 10.1% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 3.7% White, 68.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage11%9%

Differences between school counselor and teacher 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
  • Show more

Teacher example responsibilities.

  • Work closely with co-teacher to manage and co-teach curriculum to a large group.
  • Target at risk and high achieving students using levele readers and DRA strategies.
  • Lead debates with advance students on topics including globalization, economics, and political history.
  • Develop social studies and geography curriculum.
  • Provide kindergarten readiness in approaching phonemic awareness, phonics, and introductory math skills.
  • Attend and participate in ESL professional development activities, conferences/workshops, curriculum/program planning, & special events and activities.
  • Show more

School counselor vs teacher skills

Common school counselor skills
  • Mental Health, 10%
  • Community Resources, 8%
  • Crisis Intervention, 6%
  • Professional Development, 5%
  • Behavioral Issues, 4%
  • CPR, 4%
Common teacher skills
  • ESL, 17%
  • Handle Scheduling, 15%
  • Kids, 12%
  • Classroom Management, 7%
  • CPR, 5%
  • Curriculum Development, 4%

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