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The differences between social services counselors and clinical counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a social services counselor and a clinical counselor. Additionally, a clinical counselor has an average salary of $54,191, which is higher than the $45,514 average annual salary of a social services counselor.
The top three skills for a social services counselor include social work, patients and social services. The most important skills for a clinical counselor are social work, patients, and foster care.
| Social Services Counselor | Clinical Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $45,514 | $54,191 |
| Hourly rate | $21.88 | $26.05 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 151,229 | 146,133 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Social service counselors provide a wide range of counselling such as psychological assessment, diagnosis, and therapy. They must evaluate patient data, do psychological tests, and apply their observations. They may also review clinical issues and programs. Typically, they work in institutions or private practices.
A Clinical Counselor interviews clients to assess their mental health and behavioral problems. They examine issues such as substance abuse, depression, stress, aging and self-image.
Social services counselors and clinical counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Social Services Counselor | Clinical Counselor | |
| Average salary | $45,514 | $54,191 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $65,000 | Between $43,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | Trenton, NJ | Bethesda, MD |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Maryland |
| Best paying company | Mission Regional Medical Center | Novo Nordisk |
| Best paying industry | Education | Professional |
There are a few differences between a social services counselor and a clinical counselor in terms of educational background:
| Social Services Counselor | Clinical Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | Boston University | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between social services counselors' and clinical counselors' demographics:
| Social Services Counselor | Clinical Counselor | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 26.6% Female, 73.4% | Male, 28.4% Female, 71.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 2.7% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% | 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 | 10% | 15% |