School guidance counselor vs school counselor

The differences between school guidance counselors and school 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 $49,562 average annual salary of a school guidance counselor.

The top three skills for a school guidance counselor include crisis intervention, community agencies and professional development. The most important skills for a school counselor are mental health, community resources, and crisis intervention.

School guidance counselor vs school counselor overview

	School Guidance Counselor	School Counselor
Yearly salary	$49,562	$49,904
Hourly rate	$23.83	$23.99
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	82,545	91,275
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	-	-

What does a school guidance counselor do?

School Guidance Counselors assess students' ability and potential, provide private counseling, and coordinate with fellow professionals on student matters. To help students in realizing their objectives, school guidance counselors evaluate their attributes. Also, they identify behavioral problems and appropriately to remedy the situation. Part of their duties is to cooperate with parents, external partners, and academic staff. To succeed, these guidance counselors must be authentic and accessible with good communication skills and a profound interest in helping students to achieve career and academic goals.

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.

School guidance counselor vs school counselor salary

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

	School Guidance Counselor	School Counselor
Average salary	$49,562	$49,904
Salary range	Between $36,000 And $67,000	Between $36,000 And $68,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Tolleson Union High School District	The Gow School
Best paying industry	Education	Education

Differences between school guidance counselor and school counselor education

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

	School Guidance Counselor	School Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Most common major	School Counseling	School Counseling
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

School guidance counselor vs school counselor demographics

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

	School Guidance Counselor	School Counselor
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 24.7% Female, 75.3%	Male, 26.1% Female, 73.9%
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 guidance counselor and school counselor duties and responsibilities

School guidance counselor example responsibilities.

Participate in IEP's staff meetings, parent meetings and individual student counseling.
Attend and participate in IEP meetings, truancy elimination meetings, children s clinic meetings, and parent meetings.
Remain non-denominational, open, flexible and ecumenical in service to patients while also providing additional resources from local spiritual communities.
Collaborate with peers in leadership capacity at recreational summer camp leading, coordinating and organizing daily activities and weekly field trips.

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

School guidance counselor vs school counselor skills

Common school guidance counselor skills

Crisis Intervention, 7%
Community Agencies, 7%
Professional Development, 6%
Financial Aid, 5%
Career Planning, 4%
K-12, 4%

Common school counselor skills

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

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School Guidance Counselor
School Guidance Counselor vs School Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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