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The differences between child protective specialists 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 specialist and a protective service specialist. Additionally, a child protective specialist has an average salary of $52,032, which is higher than the $50,293 average annual salary of a protective service specialist.
The top three skills for a child protective specialist include social work, social services and mental health. The most important skills for a protective service specialist are social work, child safety, and foster care.
| Child Protective Specialist | Protective Service Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $52,032 | $50,293 |
| Hourly rate | $25.02 | $24.18 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 75,325 | 81,211 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Child Protective Specialist is a social worker who handles suspected cases of abuse and neglect in children. They focus on performing research and investigation, conducting home visits and inspections, interviewing families and potential witnesses, gathering evidence, and reaching out to hospitals or schools to collect and analyze data. Through the findings of their investigation, a Child Protective Specialist draws conclusions and develops recommendations for the children's safety and welfare. Moreover, there are instances where they conduct interventions, refer families to other agencies, or coordinate with law enforcement.
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 specialists and protective service specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Child Protective Specialist | Protective Service Specialist | |
| Average salary | $52,032 | $50,293 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $65,000 | Between $32,000 And $76,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Baltimore, MD |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Children's National Medical Center | Parsons |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Government |
There are a few differences between a child protective specialist and a protective service specialist in terms of educational background:
| Child Protective Specialist | Protective Service Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Social Work |
| Most common college | SUNY at Albany | SUNY at Albany |
Here are the differences between child protective specialists' and protective service specialists' demographics:
| Child Protective Specialist | Protective Service Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 21.2% Female, 78.8% | 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% |