Social services counselor vs education counselor

The differences between social services counselors and education counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a social services counselor has an average salary of $45,514, which is higher than the $45,465 average annual salary of an education counselor.

The top three skills for a social services counselor include social work, patients and social services. The most important skills for an education counselor are mental health, crisis intervention, and financial aid.

Social services counselor vs education counselor overview

	Social Services Counselor	Education Counselor
Yearly salary	$45,514	$45,465
Hourly rate	$21.88	$21.86
Growth rate	9%	10%
Number of jobs	151,229	40,323
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 63%	Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	4	-

What does a social services counselor do?

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.

What does an education counselor do?

The work of education counselors revolves around giving students advice about their course choice, career structuring, and supporting them in their school endeavors. They must have the empathy to help students adjust to their everyday struggles and personal conflicts. They often give students information about scholarship grants and help them apply. They organize seminars talking about alcohol consumption and smoking. Counselors also discuss strategies to improve school performance regarding overall counseling services.

Social services counselor vs education counselor salary

Social services counselors and education counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Social Services Counselor	Education Counselor
Average salary	$45,514	$45,465
Salary range	Between $31,000 And $65,000	Between $33,000 And $61,000
Highest paying City	Trenton, NJ	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	New Jersey	California
Best paying company	Mission Regional Medical Center	Silicon Valley International School
Best paying industry	Education	Education

Differences between social services counselor and education counselor education

There are a few differences between a social services counselor and an education counselor in terms of educational background:

	Social Services Counselor	Education Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 63%	Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	Boston University	University of Pennsylvania

Social services counselor vs education counselor demographics

Here are the differences between social services counselors' and education counselors' demographics:

	Social Services Counselor	Education Counselor
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 26.6% Female, 73.4%	Male, 33.3% Female, 66.7%
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, 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	10%	11%

Differences between social services counselor and education counselor duties and responsibilities

Social services counselor example responsibilities.

Case manage in-district and out-of-district students with emotional disabilities, autism, other health impair and physical disabilities.
Serve as liaison/advocate between patients and/or families/caregivers and community agencies, other companies as deemed need.
Develop and write the IRP with the client and Treatment/rehabilitation team.
Administer first aid/ CPR as well as handled emergency situations when necessary in the aquatics area and the workout facility.
Escort residents to appointments to train in community integration and other relate rehabilitation services.
Provide individual, group and family therapy to patients and their families in an acute-care crisis stabilization psychiatric hospital.

Education counselor example responsibilities.

Provide consultation and in-service to teachers, administrators and parents regarding IEP's, guidance and counseling practices and programs.
Collaborate as member of IEP teams, with school and district representatives and families, to identify specific student needs areas.
Work towards empowering juveniles and their families to support a positive lifestyle by providing strength base intensive intervention and rehabilitation services.
Participate in special education meetings as administrator, coordinate state testing and assist with RTI identifications.
Facilitate RTI process on caseload through identification, implementation, and through monitoring progress for further referrals for at-risk students.
Ensure client safety and provide necessary intervention toward adolescent teens admit into an inpatient drug and mental health treatment facility.

Social services counselor vs education counselor skills

Common social services counselor skills

Social Work, 38%
Patients, 12%
Social Services, 6%
Financial Assistance, 6%
Scheduling Appointments, 4%
Direct Services, 3%

Common education counselor skills

Mental Health, 11%
Crisis Intervention, 10%
Financial Aid, 6%
Behavioral Problems, 6%
Applied Behavior Analysis, 5%
Educational Programs, 5%

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Social Services Counselor
Social Services Counselor vs Education Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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