Student services counselor vs student advocate

The differences between student services counselors and student advocates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a student services counselor has an average salary of $41,175, which is higher than the $29,572 average annual salary of a student advocate.

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

Student services counselor vs student advocate overview

	Student Services Counselor	Student Advocate
Yearly salary	$41,175	$29,572
Hourly rate	$19.80	$14.22
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	104,698	31,515
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	-	-

Student services counselor vs student advocate salary

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

	Student Services Counselor	Student Advocate
Average salary	$41,175	$29,572
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $60,000	Between $22,000 And $38,000
Highest paying City	Boston, MA	-
Highest paying state	New Jersey	-
Best paying company	Kern Community College District	-
Best paying industry	Government	-

Differences between student services counselor and student advocate education

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

	Student Services Counselor	Student Advocate
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 62%	Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Most common major	Business	Psychology
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Student services counselor vs student advocate demographics

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

	Student Services Counselor	Student Advocate
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 33.9% Female, 66.1%	Male, 36.1% Female, 63.9%
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 student services counselor and student advocate duties and responsibilities

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.

Student advocate example responsibilities.

Help manage alumni social media pages (Facebook, LinkedIn).
Manage bi-weekly progress reports and case notes to document student progress in ETO.
Manage UAFS's F-1/J-1 student visa SEVIS compliance as DSO/ARO, ensuring all documentation is in order prior to students arriving.
Monitor daily progress notes for students using ETO software.
Participate and attend IEP , 504 and parent meetings in support of student needs.
Assist in creating a positive veteran atmosphere are student veterans feel comfortable studying and helping on another.

Student services counselor vs student advocate skills

Common student services counselor skills

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

Common student advocate skills

Mental Health, 9%
Educational Programs, 7%
Crisis Intervention, 6%
Community Organizations, 6%
Administrative Hearings, 5%
Community Resources, 4%

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Student Services Counselor
Student Services Counselor vs Student Advocate

Updated January 8, 2025

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