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The differences between child and adolescent therapists and child life specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a child and adolescent therapist, becoming a child life specialist takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a child life specialist has an average salary of $55,201, which is higher than the $51,346 average annual salary of a child and adolescent therapist.
The top three skills for a child and adolescent therapist include social work, patients and substance abuse. The most important skills for a child life specialist are patients, child development, and patient care.
| Child And Adolescent Therapist | Child Life Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $51,346 | $55,201 |
| Hourly rate | $24.69 | $26.54 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 69,031 | 90,517 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 45 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
Child and Adolescent Therapists are responsible for providing psychological evaluations and therapy for young people and children. Their duties include conducting behavioral observations, implementing long-term and short-term interventions, and developing individualized treatment plans. They have also been involved in monitoring psychological improvements, producing reports, and overseeing trainee therapists. Child and Adolescent Therapists also facilitate training for other healthcare staff and work collaboratively with schools, agencies, hospitals, and family communities in delivering a holistic therapy service. They participate in continuing professional development (CFD) to keep updated with best practices.
The job of a child life specialist is to help children and their families navigate the process of injury, illness, trauma, hospitalization, and disability. These health care professionals perform varied duties that include helping children and their families better understand the procedure and process of their medical experience. They also work on developing strategies to lessen the trauma and improve their understanding of a diagnosis by providing support, guidance, and information to family members. They are also expected to work closely with other members of the health care team in coordinating and managing care.
Child and adolescent therapists and child life specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Child And Adolescent Therapist | Child Life Specialist | |
| Average salary | $51,346 | $55,201 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $109,000 | Between $31,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Rafael, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Anchor Counseling Center | L.E.K. Consulting |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | - |
There are a few differences between a child and adolescent therapist and a child life specialist in terms of educational background:
| Child And Adolescent Therapist | Child Life Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Social Work | Psychology |
| Most common college | Boston University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between child and adolescent therapists' and child life specialists' demographics:
| Child And Adolescent Therapist | Child Life Specialist | |
| Average age | 45 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 20.9% Female, 79.1% | Male, 24.9% Female, 75.1% |
| Race ratio | Black 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, 10.2% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 7.0% White, 60.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 15% | 11% |