Vocational rehabilitation counselor vs employment counselor

The differences between vocational rehabilitation counselors and employment counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a vocational rehabilitation counselor has an average salary of $45,871, which is higher than the $43,848 average annual salary of an employment counselor.

The top three skills for a vocational rehabilitation counselor include rehabilitation, substance abuse and transferable. The most important skills for an employment counselor are litigation, employment law, and HR.

Vocational rehabilitation counselor vs employment counselor overview

	Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor	Employment Counselor
Yearly salary	$45,871	$43,848
Hourly rate	$22.05	$21.08
Growth rate	11%	10%
Number of jobs	78,174	29,459
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Average age	45	42
Years of experience	12	-

What does a vocational rehabilitation counselor do?

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.

What does an employment counselor do?

The employment counselor is someone who guides and advises people on how to choose, manage and continue in a career path they've chosen. The employment counselor educates people on each career's pros and cons, giving them insights into what to expect, salary rates, and employment chances in a particular profession. The employment counselor will also show how to excel in a specific career, offer ideas on what training or seminar to attend and what skills to enhance to achieve an edge over others.

Vocational rehabilitation counselor vs employment counselor salary

Vocational rehabilitation counselors and employment counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor	Employment Counselor
Average salary	$45,871	$43,848
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $62,000	Between $26,000 And $71,000
Highest paying City	Williston, ND	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	New Jersey	California
Best paying company	New York State Restaurant Association	Apple
Best paying industry	Non Profits	Professional

Differences between vocational rehabilitation counselor and employment counselor education

There are a few differences between a vocational rehabilitation counselor and an employment counselor in terms of educational background:

	Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor	Employment Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	University of Pennsylvania

Vocational rehabilitation counselor vs employment counselor demographics

Here are the differences between vocational rehabilitation counselors' and employment counselors' demographics:

	Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor	Employment Counselor
Average age	45	42
Gender ratio	Male, 29.4% Female, 70.6%	Male, 37.1% Female, 62.9%
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, 10.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 3.7% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	21%	11%

Differences between vocational rehabilitation counselor and employment counselor duties and responsibilities

Vocational rehabilitation counselor example responsibilities.

Collaborate with institutions of higher learning and local organizations to help assign veterans achieve independent living and academic success.
Conduct vocational assessments, transferable skills analyses, labor market surveys; write r sum s and relate correspondence.
Conduct diagnosis interview, eligibility determination, review assessments, plan and implement individual plan for employment (IPE).
Determine eligibility for services and develop individualized rehabilitation programs.
Provide independent professional vocational rehabilitation counseling to individuals with disabilities.
Apply creative and professional conflict resolution strategies to ensure RTW plan success.

Employment counselor example responsibilities.

Complete reports, manage client files and process WIA billing invoices for tuition and supplies.
Manage a caseload of Calworks participants in working towards the goal of self-sufficiency and employment.
Monitor caseworkers to ensure rehabilitation services are properly coordinate to aid clients in achieving self-sufficiency.
Source, develop, and implement HRIS systems.
Provide case management to TANF recipients that move clients to employment.
Document in accordance with JCAHO, Medicaid, and all quality improvement standards.

Vocational rehabilitation counselor vs employment counselor skills

Common vocational rehabilitation counselor skills

Rehabilitation, 20%
Substance Abuse, 12%
Transferable, 8%
Plan Development, 7%
Vocational Assessments, 6%
Social Work, 6%

Common employment counselor skills

Litigation, 16%
Employment Law, 14%
HR, 10%
Employment Litigation, 6%
FLSA, 5%
Training Programs, 4%

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Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor vs Employment Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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