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The differences between child care workers and youth workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a child care worker, becoming a youth worker takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a youth worker has an average salary of $32,242, which is higher than the $31,284 average annual salary of a child care worker.
The top three skills for a child care worker include child care, crisis intervention and behavioral issues. The most important skills for a youth worker are direct supervision, CPR, and crisis intervention.
| Child Care Worker | Youth Worker | |
| Yearly salary | $31,284 | $32,242 |
| Hourly rate | $15.04 | $15.50 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 136,963 | 87,360 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 44% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 37 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
A child care worker is responsible for providing care and supervision to children while the parents or guardians are away. A child care worker's duty may involve changing diapers and preparing milk for infants and toddlers, devise strategies or fun activities where children can learn, arrange schedules to fit their needs such as nap times, and prepare healthy meals and snacks. Aside from ensuring children's safety, a child care worker must also monitor any sign of emotional or developmental issues so it can be brought to the parents' attention as soon as possible.
Youth workers specialize in handling and providing support to young individuals with behavioral difficulties. They are primarily responsible for devising recreational projects, handling the budget, producing progress reports, managing intervention programs, and counseling troubled youth while keeping their information confidential. There may be instances where one must also search for opportunities and apply for funding or sponsorship. Furthermore, as a youth worker, it is vital to assess an individual's condition to determine their needs and ensure that they will receive the proper treatment.
Child care workers and youth workers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Child Care Worker | Youth Worker | |
| Average salary | $31,284 | $32,242 |
| Salary range | Between $19,000 And $49,000 | Between $25,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | Worcester, MA | Freehold, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Columbia University in the City of New York | Salt Lake County |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Education |
There are a few differences between a child care worker and a youth worker in terms of educational background:
| Child Care Worker | Youth Worker | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 44% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Criminal Justice |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | SUNY at Albany |
Here are the differences between child care workers' and youth workers' demographics:
| Child Care Worker | Youth Worker | |
| Average age | 37 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 21.1% Female, 78.9% | Male, 42.6% Female, 57.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 6.8% White, 57.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | 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 | 4% | 10% |