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The differences between substance abuse counselors and certified medical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a substance abuse counselor, becoming a certified medical technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a substance abuse counselor has an average salary of $43,069, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.
The top three skills for a substance abuse counselor include patients, substance abuse treatment and social work. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.
| Substance Abuse Counselor | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $43,069 | $38,859 |
| Hourly rate | $20.71 | $18.68 |
| Growth rate | - | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 78,643 | 164,424 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Average age | 39 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 12 |
Substance abuse counselors act as a support system for people with drug and alcohol problems and other behavioral issues. They help the patients control their behavior until they achieve a full recovery. The mental health counselors aid patients to overcome their chemical dependencies and become self-sufficient individuals. Part of their duty includes meeting clients to evaluate their health and substance issues while creating goals and treatment plans. They teach clients coping mechanisms, refer them to support groups, and engage them in group therapy sessions. Once the patient is stable, they help them re-establish their careers and give updates and reports of progress to the courts. Requirements for the job include a master's degree in counseling and social work.
Certified Medical Technicians are specialists in medical diagnoses by performing laboratory testing and analysis for hospitals and physicians. Their duties include lab sanitization to prepare for testing and collection, recording medical samples for testing, specimen preparation, blood drawing for donation and testing, and assisting physicians with sample collection as well as equipment handling in surgical rooms. They must also understand how to use complex and sensitive testing equipment such as cell counters, analyzers, microscopes, and centrifuges.
Substance abuse counselors and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Substance Abuse Counselor | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average salary | $43,069 | $38,859 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $67,000 | Between $28,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | Trenton, NJ | Denton, TX |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Erlanger Health System | Favorite Healthcare Staffing |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a substance abuse counselor and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:
| Substance Abuse Counselor | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Nursing |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between substance abuse counselors' and certified medical technicians' demographics:
| Substance Abuse Counselor | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average age | 39 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.3% Female, 65.7% | Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 4.6% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 15.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 10.0% White, 53.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 8% |