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The differences between substance abuse counselors and residential 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 residential counselor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a substance abuse counselor has an average salary of $43,069, which is higher than the $34,117 average annual salary of a residential counselor.
The top three skills for a substance abuse counselor include patients, substance abuse treatment and social work. The most important skills for a residential counselor are direct care, medication administration, and mental health.
| Substance Abuse Counselor | Residential Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $43,069 | $34,117 |
| Hourly rate | $20.71 | $16.40 |
| Growth rate | - | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 78,643 | 81,287 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| 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 residential counselor is responsible for guiding and providing the residents with their basic needs and other resources to support them in their daily living. Residential counselors' duties include maintaining the safety of the community by enforcing safety guidelines and procedures for the residents' compliance, organizing productive and engaging community activities, updating the residents of any changes and policies in the community, and resolving conflicts by counseling and understanding each resident's differences. A residential counselor must have excellent communication and decision-making skills to ensure the development of residents in a living facility.
Substance abuse counselors and residential counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Substance Abuse Counselor | Residential Counselor | |
| Average salary | $43,069 | $34,117 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $67,000 | Between $27,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | Trenton, NJ | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | Washington |
| Best paying company | Erlanger Health System | The Evergreens |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Education |
There are a few differences between a substance abuse counselor and a residential counselor in terms of educational background:
| Substance Abuse Counselor | Residential Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| 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 residential counselors' demographics:
| Substance Abuse Counselor | Residential Counselor | |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.3% Female, 65.7% | Male, 33.0% Female, 67.0% |
| 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% |