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The differences between vocational rehabilitation counselors and assessment specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a vocational rehabilitation counselor, becoming an assessment specialist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an assessment specialist has an average salary of $64,402, which is higher than the $45,871 average annual salary of a vocational rehabilitation counselor.
The top three skills for a vocational rehabilitation counselor include rehabilitation, substance abuse and transferable. The most important skills for an assessment specialist are social work, patients, and edition.
| Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor | Assessment Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $45,871 | $64,402 |
| Hourly rate | $22.05 | $30.96 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 78,174 | 90,625 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
The primary role of a vocational rehabilitation counselor is to help disabled people to live fully and independently. Vocational rehabilitation counselors assist people with disabilities in securing employment. They provide health care to those who are coping with mental illness, substance abuse issues, psychological disorders, or physical disabilities. Knowledge of patient care, health management, rehabilitation program, and clinical psychology is a must for this job.
An assessment specialist is an administrative professional who is responsible for designing and conducting assessment tests for a variety of academic clients. Assessment specialists are required to coordinate and implement the student testing program, which includes assessing an individual child's needs, potentials, and limitations. They must monitor special education or talent and gifted (TAG) staff to ensure that objectives are met. Assessment specialists must also need to know state laws and federal that pertain to educational assessments.
Vocational rehabilitation counselors and assessment specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor | Assessment Specialist | |
| Average salary | $45,871 | $64,402 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $62,000 | Between $47,000 And $86,000 |
| Highest paying City | Williston, ND | Trenton, NJ |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | New York State Restaurant Association | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Technology |
There are a few differences between a vocational rehabilitation counselor and an assessment specialist in terms of educational background:
| Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor | Assessment Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between vocational rehabilitation counselors' and assessment specialists' demographics:
| Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor | Assessment Specialist | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 29.4% Female, 70.6% | Male, 31.6% Female, 68.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 2.9% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7% | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 3.1% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 21% | 15% |