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The differences between substance abuse counselors and mental health 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 mental health counselor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a mental health counselor has an average salary of $49,471, 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 mental health counselor are social work, patients, and crisis intervention.
| Substance Abuse Counselor | Mental Health Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $43,069 | $49,471 |
| Hourly rate | $20.71 | $23.78 |
| Growth rate | - | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 78,643 | 110,752 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 2 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
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.
A mental health counselor is responsible for helping patients deal with their emotional and mental disorders by developing treatment plans and conducting regular counseling to track the patient's progress and condition. Mental health counselors encourage active communication from their patients, provide coping strategies for triggering situations, seek advice from other health care professionals, and guide patients on doing other activities that would help them relax. A mental health counselor must have excellent knowledge of the mental health disciplines to assist patients in their healthy lifestyle development.
Substance abuse counselors and mental health counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Substance Abuse Counselor | Mental Health Counselor | |
| Average salary | $43,069 | $49,471 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $67,000 | Between $34,000 And $70,000 |
| Highest paying City | Trenton, NJ | Longview, WA |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | Washington |
| Best paying company | Erlanger Health System | Family Life Counseling & Psychiatric Services |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a substance abuse counselor and a mental health counselor in terms of educational background:
| Substance Abuse Counselor | Mental Health Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between substance abuse counselors' and mental health counselors' demographics:
| Substance Abuse Counselor | Mental Health Counselor | |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.3% Female, 65.7% | Male, 31.4% Female, 68.6% |
| 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, 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% |