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The differences between advocates and family support specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become an advocate, becoming a family support specialist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an advocate has an average salary of $39,497, which is higher than the $37,343 average annual salary of a family support specialist.
The top three skills for an advocate include CPR, customer service and developmental disabilities. The most important skills for a family support specialist are social work, child abuse, and patients.
| Advocate | Family Support Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $39,497 | $37,343 |
| Hourly rate | $18.99 | $17.95 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 74,970 | 143,739 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
An advocate is a voice for the voiceless. It is their responsibility to speak on behalf of an individual or a particular cause. Most of the duties will vary depending on the line of organization or duty involved; however, an advocate must have extensive knowledge or background on the subject matter. Furthermore, an advocate must be present at gatherings regarding the cause, assist in the negotiation and mediation processes involving contracts and legal documentation, provide or convey accurate information, and defend what they represent.
A family support specialist is an individual who provides counseling and rehabilitation services to families who are facing crises so that their lives can be improved. Family support specialists conduct interviews with members of a family to determine areas that need support such as anti-social behavior, bullying, or domestic violence. They collaborate with healthcare and social professionals to evaluate caseload needs. In cases of relevant child protection, family support specialists are also required to attend court sessions.
Advocates and family support specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Advocate | Family Support Specialist | |
| Average salary | $39,497 | $37,343 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $58,000 | Between $24,000 And $55,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Trenton, NJ |
| Highest paying state | New York | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | Catholic Health East |
| Best paying industry | Government | Professional |
There are a few differences between an advocate and a family support specialist in terms of educational background:
| Advocate | Family Support Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | SUNY at Binghamton | Hunter College of the City University of New York |
Here are the differences between advocates' and family support specialists' demographics:
| Advocate | Family Support Specialist | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 25.7% Female, 74.3% | Male, 14.0% Female, 86.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 21.7% Asian, 6.2% White, 54.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1% | 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 | 11% | 10% |