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The differences between student support specialists and student support counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a student support specialist has an average salary of $43,449, which is higher than the $41,329 average annual salary of a student support counselor.
The top three skills for a student support specialist include student support, social work and support services. The most important skills for a student support counselor are student support, mental health, and crisis intervention.
| Student Support Specialist | Student Support Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $43,449 | $41,329 |
| Hourly rate | $20.89 | $19.87 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 104,264 | 134,839 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 12 | - |
A student support specialist provides ample counsel and advice for students in an educational institution. Student support's responsibility is to help students adjust, adapt, and advance through their learning life in school or university and provide care and support for them to grow. The student support specialist also connects students to relevant benefits, government educational benefits, and other help and benefits provided by the educational institution and its faculty. The student support specialist aims to help students in their studies and see them achieve their goals.
A student support counselor is responsible for identifying the students' strengths and challenges through one-on-one counseling and establishing solutions to help them overcome difficulties and achieve their educational goals and aspirations. Student support counselors assist the faculty in determining appropriate programs and activities to develop the students' capabilities, especially as a way of preparing them with their career objectives. They also coordinate with the students' families for extended guidance and support for their growth and development.
Student support specialists and student support counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Student Support Specialist | Student Support Counselor | |
| Average salary | $43,449 | $41,329 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $65,000 | Between $29,000 And $57,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Teaneck, NJ |
| Highest paying state | New York | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Boston Public Schools | Mercy College |
| Best paying industry | Media | Education |
There are a few differences between a student support specialist and a student support counselor in terms of educational background:
| Student Support Specialist | Student Support Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Business | Psychology |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between student support specialists' and student support counselors' demographics:
| Student Support Specialist | Student Support Counselor | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 37.5% Female, 62.5% | Male, 34.3% Female, 65.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 20.3% Asian, 7.0% White, 54.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% | 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% |