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Case manager vs service coordinator

The differences between case managers and service coordinators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a case manager, becoming a service coordinator takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a case manager has an average salary of $43,118, which is higher than the $40,792 average annual salary of a service coordinator.

The top three skills for a case manager include social work, patients and community resources. The most important skills for a service coordinator are customer service, social work, and patients.

Case manager vs service coordinator overview

Case ManagerService Coordinator
Yearly salary$43,118$40,792
Hourly rate$20.73$19.61
Growth rate9%12%
Number of jobs84,95955,922
Job satisfaction4.5-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 64%Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age4543
Years of experience412

What does a case manager do?

A case manager is responsible for giving advice, handling plans for the client's recovery, and connecting with other human service professionals to ask for further options and recommendations for the client's concerns. Case managers should have excellent communication and listening skills to evaluate the client's needs, ensuring that they will have the utmost care and safety through efficient advocacy. A case manager should be able to provide a reliable support system for the client and monitor progress to achieve wellness and guarantee satisfaction.

What does a service coordinator do?

A service coordinator is responsible for assisting the management team in providing the best services for the clients based on their specifications. Service coordinators' duties include managing clients' requests and inquiries, providing client updates, monitoring changes and plan adjustments, and recommending strategic procedures to improve services. Service coordinators must be highly-knowledgeable with the matters concerning the organization they work for, ensuring that they could explain their products and services well to meet clients' needs.

Case manager vs service coordinator salary

Case managers and service coordinators have different pay scales, as shown below.

Case ManagerService Coordinator
Average salary$43,118$40,792
Salary rangeBetween $30,000 And $61,000Between $29,000 And $56,000
Highest paying CityWashington, DCWashington, DC
Highest paying stateNew HampshireMaine
Best paying companyWellpathMt. San Antonio College
Best paying industryInsuranceGovernment

Differences between case manager and service coordinator education

There are a few differences between a case manager and a service coordinator in terms of educational background:

Case ManagerService Coordinator
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 64%Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common majorPsychologyBusiness
Most common collegeCalifornia State University - Long BeachSUNY at Binghamton

Case manager vs service coordinator demographics

Here are the differences between case managers' and service coordinators' demographics:

Case ManagerService Coordinator
Average age4543
Gender ratioMale, 23.4% Female, 76.6%Male, 28.5% Female, 71.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 3.1% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 21.0% Asian, 6.7% White, 55.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%
LGBT Percentage15%11%

Differences between case manager and service coordinator duties and responsibilities

Case manager example responsibilities.

  • Manage all programs operations in accordance with HRA and industry regulations, agency policies and HIPAA guidelines.
  • Manage the care of patients with tuberculosis (TB) during their hospitalization and their discharge follow-up care.
  • Provide clients support with basic ADL's (shopping, payee services, budgets, managing and attending appointments).
  • Practice cognitive behavioral, DBT, motivational enhancement and structural family therapy.
  • Practice excellent customer service and build meaningful, professional relationships with families and patients.
  • Facilitate vocational rehabilitation and relate community services.
  • Show more

Service coordinator example responsibilities.

  • Manage social media communication including Facebook, Pinterest, and blog.
  • Manage a pilot program providing diversion services to clients refer by DCF.
  • Manage the MSW staff and coordinate all social service and select patient service activities.
  • Manage caseload of 30 DD citizens, coordinate eligibility benefits.
  • Manage SharePoint inventory repository and assign access levels to new hires as needed.
  • Supervise and train direct care workers in CPR, care of clients, policy and procedures.
  • Show more

Case manager vs service coordinator skills

Common case manager skills
  • Social Work, 17%
  • Patients, 14%
  • Community Resources, 7%
  • Substance Abuse, 6%
  • Crisis Intervention, 5%
  • Rehabilitation, 5%
Common service coordinator skills
  • Customer Service, 19%
  • Social Work, 14%
  • Patients, 7%
  • Social Services, 5%
  • Service Coordination, 3%
  • Data Entry, 3%

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