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The differences between adoption specialists and protective service specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an adoption specialist and a protective service specialist. Additionally, a protective service specialist has an average salary of $50,293, which is higher than the $41,070 average annual salary of an adoption specialist.
The top three skills for an adoption specialist include foster care, social work and adoption process. The most important skills for a protective service specialist are social work, child safety, and foster care.
| Adoption Specialist | Protective Service Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $41,070 | $50,293 |
| Hourly rate | $19.75 | $24.18 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 84,209 | 81,211 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Adoption Specialists are responsible for evaluating and arranging both adoptive parents' and child's needs to ensure a good family fit. Their duties include undertaking adoption research on families, completing paperwork requirements, carrying out adoption education for families before and following children's placements at their house, and assisting in post-placement services. They are also responsible for developing adoption plans, act as main family advisors, and organize community resources needed by both adoptive parents and children, such as education, health care, and counseling.
Protective Service Specialists provide information to individuals and families to achieve self-sufficiency through child support services and employment opportunities. Most of these specialists recommend family services include parenting education, drug counseling, and financial base services. They review applicant documentation to determine eligibility for federal and state aid programs, including food stamps, Medicaid, and emergency assistance. Also, protective service specialists assist families with the resources that can help resolve the issues that risk the children's placement. They may even provide staff supervision about referrals obtained to ensure that they meet the criteria for services and intervention.
Adoption specialists and protective service specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Adoption Specialist | Protective Service Specialist | |
| Average salary | $41,070 | $50,293 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $57,000 | Between $32,000 And $76,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Baltimore, MD |
| Highest paying state | - | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | - | Parsons |
| Best paying industry | - | Government |
There are a few differences between an adoption specialist and a protective service specialist in terms of educational background:
| Adoption Specialist | Protective Service Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Social Work | Social Work |
| Most common college | SUNY at Albany | SUNY at Albany |
Here are the differences between adoption specialists' and protective service specialists' demographics:
| Adoption Specialist | Protective Service Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 10.6% Female, 89.4% | Male, 34.5% Female, 65.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 2.7% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% | Black or African American, 13.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 2.7% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |