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The differences between child and family therapists and career specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a child and family therapist and a career specialist. Additionally, a child and family therapist has an average salary of $55,339, which is higher than the $45,299 average annual salary of a career specialist.
The top three skills for a child and family therapist include social work, diagnosis and mental health. The most important skills for a career specialist are career development, professional development, and career exploration.
| Child And Family Therapist | Career Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $55,339 | $45,299 |
| Hourly rate | $26.61 | $21.78 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 120,152 | 16,353 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 41 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Child and family therapists are therapists who specialize in treating traumatized children due to neglect or abuse. They always formulate various techniques and activities to treat their patients and help improve the affected family's quality of living while maintaining confidentiality and following HIPAA laws and agency policies and procedures. During treatment, they monitor the progress of their patients and adjust the treatment accordingly. They also train youth counselors to maintain open communication with their families to know the cause and resolve problems faster.
Also called workforce trainers, career specialists determine career and vocational opportunities for qualified job-searches using different assessments. Career specialists plan and implement a comprehensive career development program within the realm of student services. They assess and evaluate career development test results and use them as a guide for individuals. It is part of their job to counsel in terms of administrative tasks. Skills necessary for this job include communication, attention to detail, and career guidance.
Child and family therapists and career specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Child And Family Therapist | Career Specialist | |
| Average salary | $55,339 | $45,299 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $81,000 | Between $33,000 And $61,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Rafael, CA | Santa Cruz, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Everymind (formerly Mental Health Association Of Montgomery County) | Boston Public Schools |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Education |
There are a few differences between a child and family therapist and a career specialist in terms of educational background:
| Child And Family Therapist | Career Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Business |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between child and family therapists' and career specialists' demographics:
| Child And Family Therapist | Career Specialist | |
| Average age | 41 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 19.2% Female, 80.8% | Male, 31.1% Female, 68.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 4.6% White, 68.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 6.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 5.9% White, 58.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 12% |