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The differences between student workers and service counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a student worker, becoming a service counselor takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a service counselor has an average salary of $35,402, which is higher than the $25,735 average annual salary of a student worker.
The top three skills for a student worker include customer service, front desk and twitter. The most important skills for a service counselor are social work, crisis intervention, and patients.
| Student Worker | Service Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $25,735 | $35,402 |
| Hourly rate | $12.37 | $17.02 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 82,353 | 44,284 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
Student workers are students who are employed while also enrolled at the university. They usually work in a department or college where they handle different tasks. Most of the time, student workers are assigned to do administrative activities. Their tasks include sorting mail, sending outgoing mail, manning telephone lines, filing documents, updating records, liaising with other departments, and documenting meetings, among others. Student-workers may also be assigned to handle or assist in university-wide events and activities. They are expected to be technologically savvy so that they can really help out in the department they are assigned to. Student-workers should be responsible, trustworthy, and diligent.
Service counselors provide guidance to couples, individuals, groups, and families who are going through issues that influence their well-being and mental health. They comprehensively approach their clients by utilizing a "wellness" model that focuses on and motivate the client's potentials. Their duties include inspiring clients to talk about their emotions and experiences, helping them determine their action plans and goals, as well as designing therapeutic methods. Also, they may refer their clients to other services or psychologists.
Student workers and service counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Student Worker | Service Counselor | |
| Average salary | $25,735 | $35,402 |
| Salary range | Between $19,000 And $34,000 | Between $24,000 And $51,000 |
| Highest paying City | Albany, NY | Urban Honolulu, HI |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | University of California, Berkeley | |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Education |
There are a few differences between a student worker and a service counselor in terms of educational background:
| Student Worker | Service Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Business | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | SUNY at Binghamton |
Here are the differences between student workers' and service counselors' demographics:
| Student Worker | Service Counselor | |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 38.7% Female, 61.3% | 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, 12.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.7% Asian, 7.1% White, 54.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 11% |