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The differences between child psychologists and child and adolescent therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a child psychologist, becoming a child and adolescent therapist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a child psychologist has an average salary of $78,743, which is higher than the $51,346 average annual salary of a child and adolescent therapist.
The top three skills for a child psychologist include autism, mental health and family therapy. The most important skills for a child and adolescent therapist are social work, patients, and substance abuse.
| Child Psychologist | Child And Adolescent Therapist | |
| Yearly salary | $78,743 | $51,346 |
| Hourly rate | $37.86 | $24.69 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 22,815 | 69,031 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Master's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 43 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
Child Psychologists evaluate and treat adolescents and children. They help children to cope with stresses such as school or family transitions, deaths, and divorces. Their clients may include children with different developmental issues, from learning disabilities to severe mental illness. A partial list of problems they treat has autism, obsessive-compulsive order, attention deficit disorder, adjustment disorder, and phobias. Their job is to endorse the best diagnosis to a complex set of symptoms presented. Moreover, a Clinical Child Psychologist is considered a health service provider.
Child and Adolescent Therapists are responsible for providing psychological evaluations and therapy for young people and children. Their duties include conducting behavioral observations, implementing long-term and short-term interventions, and developing individualized treatment plans. They have also been involved in monitoring psychological improvements, producing reports, and overseeing trainee therapists. Child and Adolescent Therapists also facilitate training for other healthcare staff and work collaboratively with schools, agencies, hospitals, and family communities in delivering a holistic therapy service. They participate in continuing professional development (CFD) to keep updated with best practices.
Child psychologists and child and adolescent therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Child Psychologist | Child And Adolescent Therapist | |
| Average salary | $78,743 | $51,346 |
| Salary range | Between $54,000 And $114,000 | Between $24,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Rafael, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Anchor Counseling Center |
| Best paying industry | - | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a child psychologist and a child and adolescent therapist in terms of educational background:
| Child Psychologist | Child And Adolescent Therapist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Master's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Social Work |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Boston University |
Here are the differences between child psychologists' and child and adolescent therapists' demographics:
| Child Psychologist | Child And Adolescent Therapist | |
| Average age | 43 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 29.5% Female, 70.5% | Male, 20.9% Female, 79.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 3.3% White, 76.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 3.1% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 15% |