Substance abuse counselor vs licensed professional counselor

The differences between substance abuse counselors and licensed professional counselors 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 licensed professional counselor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a licensed professional counselor has an average salary of $94,675, which is higher than the $43,069 average annual salary of a substance abuse counselor.

The top three skills for a substance abuse counselor include patients, substance abuse treatment and social work. The most important skills for a licensed professional counselor are patients, social work, and LPC.

Substance abuse counselor vs licensed professional counselor overview

	Substance Abuse Counselor	Licensed Professional Counselor
Yearly salary	$43,069	$94,675
Hourly rate	$20.71	$45.52
Growth rate	-	6%
Number of jobs	78,643	153,612
Job satisfaction	5	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Master's Degree, 48%
Average age	39	41
Years of experience	6	4

What does a substance abuse counselor do?

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.

What does a licensed professional counselor do?

A licensed professional counselor is a healthcare professional who specializes in providing therapy and counseling to patients with emotional and mental health issues. They listen to their patients and utilize various techniques to address concerns and help through the healing procedures. Their duties entail conducting interviews and evaluations, performing research and assessments, studying the patients' medical histories, providing consultations, and developing treatment plans that suit every patients' needs. Additionally, a licensed professional counselor monitors and records their patients' progress, adjusting treatments and medications as necessary.

Substance abuse counselor vs licensed professional counselor salary

Substance abuse counselors and licensed professional counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Substance Abuse Counselor	Licensed Professional Counselor
Average salary	$43,069	$94,675
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $67,000	Between $73,000 And $122,000
Highest paying City	Trenton, NJ	New York, NY
Highest paying state	New Hampshire	New York
Best paying company	Erlanger Health System	Bloomberg
Best paying industry	Non Profits	Real Estate

Differences between substance abuse counselor and licensed professional counselor education

There are a few differences between a substance abuse counselor and a licensed professional counselor in terms of educational background:

	Substance Abuse Counselor	Licensed Professional Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Master's Degree, 48%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	Northwestern University

Substance abuse counselor vs licensed professional counselor demographics

Here are the differences between substance abuse counselors' and licensed professional counselors' demographics:

	Substance Abuse Counselor	Licensed Professional Counselor
Average age	39	41
Gender ratio	Male, 34.3% Female, 65.7%	Male, 28.8% Female, 71.2%
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, 11.3% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 3.2% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	12%	15%

Differences between substance abuse counselor and licensed professional counselor duties and responsibilities

Substance abuse counselor example responsibilities.

Ensure and manage the compliance with Didi Hirsch policies and procedures, contracts and other regulatory agencies, HIPAA and DMH.
Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
Perform assessment of patients using ASAM criteria and recommendation for appropriate level of programming.
Process detox patient admissions on computer system which include - conducting alcohol and drug assessment, taking psycho/social history.
Provide clinical services, patient care, education and opiate addiction counseling services to patients receiving methadone maintenance and detoxification treatment.
Certify for first aid and CPR.

Licensed professional counselor example responsibilities.

Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
Provide clinical supervision to LPC candidates, contract clinicians and counseling psychology practicum/internship students.
Assign, direct, and provide supervision of screening assessment complete by LPC and LCSW.
Conduct intakes and assessments on new admissions and recommend placement into services base on ASAM criteria.
Coordinate with the patient's family, attending physician, other hospitals and agencies following HIPAA standards.
Specialize in OCD and animal assist psychotherapy.

Substance abuse counselor vs licensed professional counselor skills

Common substance abuse counselor skills

Patients, 16%
Substance Abuse Treatment, 11%
Social Work, 8%
Crisis Intervention, 8%
Intake Assessments, 5%
Rehabilitation, 4%

Common licensed professional counselor skills

Patients, 13%
Social Work, 12%
LPC, 10%
Real Estate, 10%
Individual Therapy, 8%
Crisis Intervention, 6%

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Substance Abuse Counselor
Substance Abuse Counselor vs Licensed Professional Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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