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The differences between youth mentors and peer counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a peer counselor has an average salary of $37,464, which is higher than the $32,750 average annual salary of a youth mentor.
The top three skills for a youth mentor include mental health, substance abuse and eating disorders. The most important skills for a peer counselor are peer support, substance abuse, and wic program.
| Youth Mentor | Peer Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $32,750 | $37,464 |
| Hourly rate | $15.75 | $18.01 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 68,561 | 76,608 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 12 | - |
Youth mentors are adult individuals who are responsible for creating programs to improve the well-being of young people by providing role models that can support them academically and socially. These mentors must educate the community on issues related to mental health while making regular home visits to youth and young adults. They should provide direct care and assistance to adolescents who are with substance abuse issues by creating an educational curriculum on the said topic. Youth mentors are also required to collaborate with mental health professionals and social workers to coordinate counseling efforts.
Typically working at schools, communities, or medical facilities, a peer counselor specializes in providing counseling to an individual or group of people, aiming to help them deal with and overcome crises. Their duties often include conducting initial assessments through interviews and appointments, listening to clients and offering advice, recommending opportunities, referring them to other support agencies, and coordinating treatment services as needed. Above all, a peer counselor must provide emotional support and guidance to clients, giving them comfort and a shoulder to lean on.
Youth mentors and peer counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Youth Mentor | Peer Counselor | |
| Average salary | $32,750 | $37,464 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $41,000 | Between $24,000 And $57,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Hayward, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maine | California |
| Best paying company | LifeWorks | The Brooklyn Hospital Center |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Education |
There are a few differences between a youth mentor and a peer counselor in terms of educational background:
| Youth Mentor | Peer Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | SUNY at Binghamton | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between youth mentors' and peer counselors' demographics:
| Youth Mentor | Peer Counselor | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 47.0% Female, 53.0% | Male, 33.0% Female, 67.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 18.7% Asian, 6.7% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1% | 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 | 11% | 11% |