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The differences between substance abuse counselors and program 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 program counselor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a program counselor has an average salary of $43,820, 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 program counselor are developmental disabilities, patients, and community integration.
| Substance Abuse Counselor | Program Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $43,069 | $43,820 |
| Hourly rate | $20.71 | $21.07 |
| Growth rate | - | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 78,643 | 133,491 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| 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 Program Counselor is an essential part of a school's faculty. It's the counselor's responsibility to ensure that students are benefiting from the school's educational curriculum. This person is also tasked to help students resolve issues and problems that may hinder any educational progress. They are also part of the disciplinary team intended to instill good morals, ethics, and decency in students. The Program Counselor is one of the teacher or professor who has expertise or has a high educational degree in a particular subject or field.
Substance abuse counselors and program counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Substance Abuse Counselor | Program Counselor | |
| Average salary | $43,069 | $43,820 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $67,000 | Between $33,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | Trenton, NJ | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | New York |
| Best paying company | Erlanger Health System | Russell Sage College |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a substance abuse counselor and a program counselor in terms of educational background:
| Substance Abuse Counselor | Program Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| 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 program counselors' demographics:
| Substance Abuse Counselor | Program Counselor | |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.3% Female, 65.7% | Male, 35.9% Female, 64.1% |
| 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% |