Unit counselor vs program counselor

The differences between unit counselors and program counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a unit counselor and a program counselor. Additionally, a program counselor has an average salary of $43,820, which is higher than the $36,585 average annual salary of a unit counselor.

The top three skills for a unit counselor include incident reports, mental health and substance abuse. The most important skills for a program counselor are developmental disabilities, patients, and community integration.

Unit counselor vs program counselor overview

	Unit Counselor	Program Counselor
Yearly salary	$36,585	$43,820
Hourly rate	$17.59	$21.07
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	45,693	133,491
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	4	4

Unit counselor vs program counselor salary

Unit counselors and program counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Unit Counselor	Program Counselor
Average salary	$36,585	$43,820
Salary range	Between $18,000 And $71,000	Between $33,000 And $58,000
Highest paying City	-	New York, NY
Highest paying state	-	New York
Best paying company	-	Russell Sage College
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between unit counselor and program counselor education

There are a few differences between a unit counselor and a program counselor in terms of educational background:

	Unit Counselor	Program Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	Duke University	California State University - Long Beach

Unit counselor vs program counselor demographics

Here are the differences between unit counselors' and program counselors' demographics:

	Unit Counselor	Program Counselor
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 31.9% Female, 68.1%	Male, 35.9% Female, 64.1%
Race ratio	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%	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	15%	15%

Differences between unit counselor and program counselor duties and responsibilities

Unit counselor example responsibilities.

Lead a successful group of kids by ensuring safety and behavioral expectations are met and providing structure and organize educational activities.
Work towards empowering juveniles and their families to support a positive lifestyle by providing strength base intensive intervention and rehabilitation services.
Maintain therapeutic relationships with youth through effective teaching and coaching techniques to provide leadership and foster relationship building skills.

Program counselor example responsibilities.

Lead recreational activities for adolescents with ADHD and other behavior disorders.
Provide education, within hospital setting, to adolescent psychiatric patients regarding substance abuse and dependency issues.
Receive CPR and first aid certifications.
Attend and receive CPR and basic restraint technique certifications.
Assist each client with compassion to encourage them on their journey to recovery.
Encourage and mentore residents during their recovery and rehabilitation process.

Unit counselor vs program counselor skills

Common unit counselor skills

Incident Reports, 19%
Mental Health, 12%
Substance Abuse, 12%
Conduct Orientation, 11%
CPI, 6%
Crisis Situations, 4%

Common program counselor skills

Developmental Disabilities, 11%
Patients, 11%
Community Integration, 9%
CPR, 8%
Social Work, 8%
Medication Administration, 7%