Child protective investigator vs school social worker

The differences between child protective investigators and school social workers 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 school social worker. Additionally, a school social worker has an average salary of $54,856, 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 school social worker are social work, social emotional, and IEP.

Child protective investigator vs school social worker overview

	Child Protective Investigator	School Social Worker
Yearly salary	$47,903	$54,856
Hourly rate	$23.03	$26.37
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	15,938	122,376
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 73%	Master's Degree, 51%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	4	4

What does a child protective investigator do?

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.

What does a school social worker do?

A school social worker specializes in counseling students, families, and faculty members. They are responsible for coordinating with the school to develop programs that prioritize the students' emotional and psychological well-being, respond to any issues and concerns, build rapport to identify their needs, and communicate with support services to provide necessary assistance to any students or families. There are also instances when a school social worker must assist teachers in handling students with behavioral issues, investigating the underlying reasons. Moreover, it is crucial to identify any signs of neglect or abuse, conducting interventive measures right away.

Child protective investigator vs school social worker salary

Child protective investigators and school social workers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Child Protective Investigator	School Social Worker
Average salary	$47,903	$54,856
Salary range	Between $37,000 And $61,000	Between $40,000 And $73,000
Highest paying City	Camden, NJ	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	New Jersey	Washington
Best paying company	Saks Fifth Avenue	Boston Public Schools
Best paying industry	Government	Education

Differences between child protective investigator and school social worker education

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

	Child Protective Investigator	School Social Worker
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 73%	Master's Degree, 51%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Social Work
Most common college	SUNY at Albany	Boston College

Child protective investigator vs school social worker demographics

Here are the differences between child protective investigators' and school social workers' demographics:

	Child Protective Investigator	School Social Worker
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 32.4% Female, 67.6%	Male, 17.5% Female, 82.5%
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%

Differences between child protective investigator and school social worker 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.

School social worker example responsibilities.

Case manage in-district and out-of-district students with emotional disabilities, autism, other health impair and physical disabilities.
Provide individual, group and family therapy to patients suffering from substance abuse/dependence.
Prepare APS reports as needed and present them to the state.
Prepare IEP's, set goals, and objectives consistent with CSE standards.
Train college interns, new employees, and volunteers on APS policies and procedures.
Design school-wide and individual PBIS programs and incentives; as well as compiled data relate to PBIS.

Child protective investigator vs school social worker skills

Common child protective investigator skills

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

Common school social worker skills

Social Work, 26%
Social Emotional, 6%
IEP, 6%
Community Resources, 5%
Professional Development, 5%
Behavioral Issues, 4%

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Child Protective Investigator
Child Protective Investigator vs School Social Worker

Updated January 8, 2025

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