Advocate vs social worker

The differences between advocates and social workers 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 social worker takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a social worker has an average salary of $50,102, which is higher than the $39,497 average annual salary of an advocate.

The top three skills for an advocate include CPR, customer service and developmental disabilities. The most important skills for a social worker are social work, patients, and patient care.

Advocate vs social worker overview

	Advocate	Social Worker
Yearly salary	$39,497	$50,102
Hourly rate	$18.99	$24.09
Growth rate	12%	9%
Number of jobs	74,970	77,340
Job satisfaction	-	4.5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Average age	43	45
Years of experience	12	2

What does an advocate do?

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.

What does a social worker do?

Social workers help their clients get through problems that they may be facing. Social workers help identify individuals or groups of people, usually families, who may need assistance, generally through a set of pre-determined criteria. They then determine the best ways to help their clients by interviewing them, getting to know them, and understanding the context of their lives. They create plans that will help their clients become better, such as integrating into a new environment, assisting them in their needs, or even rescuing them from their current place. Social workers have good interpersonal skills and communication skills.

Advocate vs social worker salary

Advocates and social workers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Advocate	Social Worker
Average salary	$39,497	$50,102
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $58,000	Between $37,000 And $67,000
Highest paying City	Washington, DC	Portland, OR
Highest paying state	New York	Oregon
Best paying company	Microsoft	Health Advocates
Best paying industry	Government	Government

Differences between advocate and social worker education

There are a few differences between an advocate and a social worker in terms of educational background:

	Advocate	Social Worker
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Most common major	Psychology	Social Work
Most common college	SUNY at Binghamton	University of Pennsylvania

Advocate vs social worker demographics

Here are the differences between advocates' and social workers' demographics:

	Advocate	Social Worker
Average age	43	45
Gender ratio	Male, 25.7% Female, 74.3%	Male, 19.5% Female, 80.5%
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, 19.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 3.3% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	11%	13%

Differences between advocate and social worker duties and responsibilities

Advocate example responsibilities.

Develop and maintain communication and contact with community services organizations and other agencies concern with veterans and public service programs.
Perform CPR and a as needed.
Administer first aid and CPR in emergency situations.
Record daily efforts make into an ETO software system.
Perform basic counseling, basic interviewing, conflict mediation, and advocacy for batter women.
Identify and provide emergency crisis service as needed, often through mediation or phone calls.

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Social worker example responsibilities.

Assist clients in achieving treatment goals such as anger, ADHD, grief, social skills, and manners.
Lead and co-le CBT and DBT skills-base groups with participants, as well as relapse prevention, mindfulness and process groups.
Support patient questions and issues regarding Medicare ESRD entitlement and Medicaid and assist in the completion of the appropriate documentation.
Coordinate IPU discharge planning patients to SNF, ALF, PCH or in-home care with necessary support for care.
Facilitate relationships with AKF and other patient assistance programs, VA, Medicare, Medicaid and other insurance providers.
Complete Medicaid and Medicare applications as needed.

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Advocate vs social worker skills

Common advocate skills

CPR, 12%
Customer Service, 11%
Developmental Disabilities, 11%
Cleanliness, 10%
Patients, 8%
Crisis Intervention, 6%

Common social worker skills

Social Work, 30%
Patients, 15%
Patient Care, 5%
MSW, 4%
Discharge Planning, 4%
Home Health, 4%

Advocate vs. similar jobs

Advocate related careers

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Advocate jobs by location

Updated January 8, 2025

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