Work counselor vs vocational rehabilitation counselor

The differences between work counselors and vocational rehabilitation counselors 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 vocational rehabilitation counselor. Additionally, a work counselor has an average salary of $55,384, which is higher than the $45,871 average annual salary of a vocational rehabilitation counselor.

The top three skills for a work counselor include social work, discharge planning and substance abuse. The most important skills for a vocational rehabilitation counselor are rehabilitation, substance abuse, and transferable.

Work counselor vs vocational rehabilitation counselor overview

	Work Counselor	Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
Yearly salary	$55,384	$45,871
Hourly rate	$26.63	$22.05
Growth rate	11%	11%
Number of jobs	77,184	78,174
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	12	12

What does a work counselor do?

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.

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.

Work counselor vs vocational rehabilitation counselor salary

Work counselors and vocational rehabilitation counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Work Counselor	Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
Average salary	$55,384	$45,871
Salary range	Between $46,000 And $66,000	Between $33,000 And $62,000
Highest paying City	Chicago, IL	Williston, ND
Highest paying state	New Jersey	New Jersey
Best paying company	The Travelers Companies	New York State Restaurant Association
Best paying industry	Hospitality	Non Profits

Differences between work counselor and vocational rehabilitation counselor education

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

	Work Counselor	Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Most common major	Social Work	Psychology
Most common college	Columbia University in the City of New York	California State University - Long Beach

Work counselor vs vocational rehabilitation counselor demographics

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

	Work Counselor	Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 37.0% Female, 63.0%	Male, 29.4% Female, 70.6%
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%

Differences between work counselor and vocational rehabilitation counselor duties and responsibilities

Work counselor example responsibilities.

Manage litigation involving the agency, and drafts bills and amendments for legislative consideration.
Complete FARS, PERFS, and ASAMS as required.
Train in OMRDD requirements such as S.K.I.P, compass one, first aid, and CPR
Work as an in-home counselor for high intensity children's cases.
Assist with life skills, behavior modification, medication, and when necessary restraints.
Translate IPP reports verbally and in writing in designate second language (Spanish).

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.

Work counselor vs vocational rehabilitation counselor skills

Common work counselor skills

Social Work, 38%
Discharge Planning, 10%
Substance Abuse, 5%
Community Resources, 5%
Mental Health, 4%
Crisis Intervention, 4%

Common vocational rehabilitation counselor skills

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

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Work Counselor
Work Counselor vs Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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