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The differences between child protective investigators and protective service 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 protective investigator and a protective service specialist. Additionally, a protective service specialist has an average salary of $50,293, which is higher than the $47,903 average annual salary of a child protective investigator.
The top three skills for a child protective investigator include patrol, social work and local law enforcement. The most important skills for a protective service specialist are social work, child safety, and foster care.
| Child Protective Investigator | Protective Service Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $47,903 | $50,293 |
| Hourly rate | $23.03 | $24.18 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 15,938 | 81,211 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A child protective investigator is responsible for investigating incident reports for child-violating cases, collecting court evidence of child abuse, and keeping the child under safe custody for protection. Child protective investigators conduct field investigations by locating the area of concern, interviewing witnesses, and analyzing similar cases of violence. They coordinate with medical professionals to check the child's condition and record any signs of trauma and injuries. A child protective investigator may also attend court procedures to represent the child and testify to press charges with the abuser.
Protective Service Specialists provide information to individuals and families to achieve self-sufficiency through child support services and employment opportunities. Most of these specialists recommend family services include parenting education, drug counseling, and financial base services. They review applicant documentation to determine eligibility for federal and state aid programs, including food stamps, Medicaid, and emergency assistance. Also, protective service specialists assist families with the resources that can help resolve the issues that risk the children's placement. They may even provide staff supervision about referrals obtained to ensure that they meet the criteria for services and intervention.
Child protective investigators and protective service specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Child Protective Investigator | Protective Service Specialist | |
| Average salary | $47,903 | $50,293 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $61,000 | Between $32,000 And $76,000 |
| Highest paying City | Camden, NJ | Baltimore, MD |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Saks Fifth Avenue | Parsons |
| Best paying industry | Government | Government |
There are a few differences between a child protective investigator and a protective service specialist in terms of educational background:
| Child Protective Investigator | Protective Service Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Social Work |
| Most common college | SUNY at Albany | SUNY at Albany |
Here are the differences between child protective investigators' and protective service specialists' demographics:
| Child Protective Investigator | Protective Service Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 32.4% Female, 67.6% | Male, 34.5% Female, 65.5% |
| 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% |