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The differences between work counselors and rehabilitation specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a work counselor and a rehabilitation specialist. Additionally, a work counselor has an average salary of $55,384, which is higher than the $42,934 average annual salary of a rehabilitation specialist.
The top three skills for a work counselor include social work, discharge planning and substance abuse. The most important skills for a rehabilitation specialist are rehabilitation, patients, and crisis intervention.
| Work Counselor | Rehabilitation Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $55,384 | $42,934 |
| Hourly rate | $26.63 | $20.64 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 77,184 | 29,177 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A work counselor's responsibility is to know the employee's problems including stress, workplace depression, declining productivity, and anxiety, and help solve them by resolving negative patterns, rehabilitation, and prevention to improve quality of life. Such purpose is to reduce sickness absence and pressure. Part of their helping profession is to respect the employees' privacy by sharing information and opinions on resources that the client needs since they are not tasked to disclose information and give advice.
Rehabilitation specialists are professionals who are responsible for helping individuals with physical and mental disabilities to reintegrate into society and live independently. These specialists must assist their clients in finding the type of work they could do with their disability and prepare them for their interview. They are required to provide a basic explanation about the medical or mental health condition to their clients. Rehabilitation specialists must also collaborate with other professionals to assist with rehabilitation exercises.
Work counselors and rehabilitation specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Work Counselor | Rehabilitation Specialist | |
| Average salary | $55,384 | $42,934 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $66,000 | Between $29,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | Chicago, IL | Cleveland, OH |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Alaska |
| Best paying company | The Travelers Companies | Prudential Bank |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Professional |
There are a few differences between a work counselor and a rehabilitation specialist in terms of educational background:
| Work Counselor | Rehabilitation Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Social Work | Psychology |
| Most common college | Columbia University in the City of New York | Columbia University in the City of New York |
Here are the differences between work counselors' and rehabilitation specialists' demographics:
| Work Counselor | Rehabilitation Specialist | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 37.0% Female, 63.0% | Male, 33.0% Female, 67.0% |
| 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, 13.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 2.9% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 21% | 21% |