Child protective investigator vs child advocate

The differences between child protective investigators and child advocates 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 protective investigator and a child advocate. Additionally, a child protective investigator has an average salary of $47,903, which is higher than the $37,885 average annual salary of a child advocate.

The top three skills for a child protective investigator include patrol, social work and local law enforcement. The most important skills for a child advocate are social work, safety planning, and crisis intervention.

Child protective investigator vs child advocate overview

	Child Protective Investigator	Child Advocate
Yearly salary	$47,903	$37,885
Hourly rate	$23.03	$18.21
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	15,938	88,678
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 73%	Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	4	4

Child protective investigator vs child advocate salary

Child protective investigators and child advocates have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Child Protective Investigator	Child Advocate
Average salary	$47,903	$37,885
Salary range	Between $37,000 And $61,000	Between $30,000 And $46,000
Highest paying City	Camden, NJ	Pasadena, TX
Highest paying state	New Jersey	New Jersey
Best paying company	Saks Fifth Avenue	Suncoast Center
Best paying industry	Government	Non Profits

Differences between child protective investigator and child advocate education

There are a few differences between a child protective investigator and a child advocate in terms of educational background:

	Child Protective Investigator	Child Advocate
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 73%	Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Psychology
Most common college	SUNY at Albany	Hunter College of the City University of New York

Child protective investigator vs child advocate demographics

Here are the differences between child protective investigators' and child advocates' demographics:

	Child Protective Investigator	Child Advocate
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 32.4% Female, 67.6%	Male, 13.1% Female, 86.9%
Race ratio	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%	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	10%	10%

Differences between child protective investigator and child advocate duties and responsibilities

Child protective investigator example responsibilities.

Utilize locating systems, negotiate agreements, file motions and prepare subpoenas.
Review and approve time sheets, mileage reports for CPI assign to the unit.
Complete timely findings including determining if someone should be place on the child abuse registry.
Investigate reports of abuse, neglect and exploitation that are report to the state abuse hotline.
Respond to Hotline reports, conduct child safety assessments, and determine immediate risk to child.
Review child safety assessments as submitted by CPI, and provide direction and guidance in the investigation.

Child advocate example responsibilities.

Offer immediate practical assistance to the family in obtaining Medicaid coverage, financial assistance or help with housing.
Assist patients in securing medical coverage by screening refer patients and coordinating the application process through successful approval.
Complete risk assessments and develop comprehensive intervention plans to address safety, communication, and problem solving abilities.

Child protective investigator vs child advocate skills

Common child protective investigator skills

Patrol, 35%
Social Work, 16%
Local Law Enforcement, 7%
CCTV, 4%
Child Protective, 4%
Family Dynamics, 3%

Common child advocate skills

Social Work, 16%
Safety Planning, 11%
Crisis Intervention, 9%
Mental Health, 7%
Child Abuse, 5%
Child Advocacy, 5%

Child Protective Investigator vs. similar jobs

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Child Protective Investigator
Child Protective Investigator vs Child Advocate

Updated January 8, 2025

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