Clinical psychologist vs social worker

The differences between clinical psychologists and social workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a clinical psychologist and a social worker. Additionally, a clinical psychologist has an average salary of $97,659, which is higher than the $50,102 average annual salary of a social worker.

The top three skills for a clinical psychologist include patients, rehabilitation and clinical psychology. The most important skills for a social worker are social work, patients, and patient care.

Clinical psychologist vs social worker overview

	Clinical Psychologist	Social Worker
Yearly salary	$97,659	$50,102
Hourly rate	$46.95	$24.09
Growth rate	14%	9%
Number of jobs	69,762	77,340
Job satisfaction	-	4.5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 42%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Average age	43	45
Years of experience	2	2

What does a clinical psychologist do?

A clinical psychologist is a healthcare professional who treats patients with various mental disorders through one-on-one or group settings. Clinical psychologists assist their patients in identifying their psychological, emotional, or behavioral issues so that a plan of action is created to help patients achieve personal and social development. To create a patient treatment plan, clinical psychologists must interview their patients who have different mental problems. They also collaborate with professionals such as social workers, nurses, and occupational therapists to provide the right treatment to their patients.

What does a social worker do?

Social workers help their clients get through problems that they may be facing. Social workers help identify individuals or groups of people, usually families, who may need assistance, generally through a set of pre-determined criteria. They then determine the best ways to help their clients by interviewing them, getting to know them, and understanding the context of their lives. They create plans that will help their clients become better, such as integrating into a new environment, assisting them in their needs, or even rescuing them from their current place. Social workers have good interpersonal skills and communication skills.

Clinical psychologist vs social worker salary

Clinical psychologists and social workers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Clinical Psychologist	Social Worker
Average salary	$97,659	$50,102
Salary range	Between $72,000 And $132,000	Between $37,000 And $67,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Portland, OR
Highest paying state	California	Oregon
Best paying company	Kaiser Permanente	Health Advocates
Best paying industry	Government	Government

Differences between clinical psychologist and social worker education

There are a few differences between a clinical psychologist and a social worker in terms of educational background:

	Clinical Psychologist	Social Worker
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 42%	Bachelor's Degree, 59%
Most common major	Clinical Psychology	Social Work
Most common college	Northwestern University	University of Pennsylvania

Clinical psychologist vs social worker demographics

Here are the differences between clinical psychologists' and social workers' demographics:

	Clinical Psychologist	Social Worker
Average age	43	45
Gender ratio	Male, 37.0% Female, 63.0%	Male, 19.5% Female, 80.5%
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, 19.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 3.3% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	12%	13%

Differences between clinical psychologist and social worker duties and responsibilities

Clinical psychologist example responsibilities.

Manage high-utilizing patients with chronic health and behavioral health concerns to reduce inappropriate medical utilization and to promote better functional outcomes.
Supervise by Amanda Quayle, PsyD.
Utilize CBT, DBT, mindfulness, and motivational interviewing techniques.
Provide CBT, DBT and psychodynamic-orient psychotherapy to adolescent and adult clients.
Intern with Dr. Ann-Marie Tripp-Pendelton, PsyD, in a therapeutic capacity.
Collaborate with a team of social workers, psychiatrists, and psychologists to develop individualize treatment plans for war veterans.

Social worker example responsibilities.

Assist clients in achieving treatment goals such as anger, ADHD, grief, social skills, and manners.
Lead and co-le CBT and DBT skills-base groups with participants, as well as relapse prevention, mindfulness and process groups.
Support patient questions and issues regarding Medicare ESRD entitlement and Medicaid and assist in the completion of the appropriate documentation.
Coordinate IPU discharge planning patients to SNF, ALF, PCH or in-home care with necessary support for care.
Facilitate relationships with AKF and other patient assistance programs, VA, Medicare, Medicaid and other insurance providers.
Complete Medicaid and Medicare applications as needed.

Clinical psychologist vs social worker skills

Common clinical psychologist skills

Patients, 16%
Rehabilitation, 7%
Clinical Psychology, 6%
Group Therapy, 5%
Veterans, 5%
Patient Care, 5%

Common social worker skills

Social Work, 30%
Patients, 15%
Patient Care, 5%
MSW, 4%
Discharge Planning, 4%
Home Health, 4%

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Clinical Psychologist
Clinical Psychologist vs Social Worker

Updated January 8, 2025

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