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The differences between child psychiatrists and therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a child psychiatrist has an average salary of $249,711, which is higher than the $55,943 average annual salary of a therapist.
The top three skills for a child psychiatrist include adolescent psychiatry, psychopharmacology and mental health. The most important skills for a therapist are social work, patients, and group therapy sessions.
| Child Psychiatrist | Therapist | |
| Yearly salary | $249,711 | $55,943 |
| Hourly rate | $120.05 | $26.90 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 38,047 | 159,770 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 32% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 48 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | - |
A child psychiatrist specializes in diagnosing and treating behavioral and psychological issues of children. They develop treatment plans through various assessments and examinations, prescribing medication as needed. Their responsibilities include conducting therapies in an individual or group setting, coordinating with parents and guardians to keep them updated on all procedures and progress, providing consultations for social services and court proceedings, and helping families cope and understand the patient's situation. Furthermore, as a child therapist, it is essential to build rapport with patients, making them feel comfortable every step of the way.
A therapist is responsible for improving the patients' health conditions by evaluating their needs and providing physical and mental support. Therapists are licensed, medical professionals who specialize in different areas to perform treatments and bring relief to patients. Some of their duties include diagnosing patient's problems, performing counseling services, monitoring medication progress, customizing therapy activities for pain management, and consulting other health professionals as needed. Therapists must have extensive knowledge with the medical industry to detect patients' conditions easily and provide effective medications.
Child psychiatrists and therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Child Psychiatrist | Therapist | |
| Average salary | $249,711 | $55,943 |
| Salary range | Between $152,000 And $408,000 | Between $39,000 And $80,000 |
| Highest paying City | Naperville, IL | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | OSF HealthCare | Childhelp |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Government |
There are a few differences between a child psychiatrist and a therapist in terms of educational background:
| Child Psychiatrist | Therapist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 32% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Medicine | Psychology |
| Most common college | Columbia University in the City of New York | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between child psychiatrists' and therapists' demographics:
| Child Psychiatrist | Therapist | |
| Average age | 48 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 48.8% Female, 51.2% | Male, 24.4% Female, 75.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.9% Unknown, 2.4% Hispanic or Latino, 6.2% Asian, 19.4% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 4.0% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 11.3% White, 72.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 12% |