Clinical social worker vs foster care worker

The differences between clinical social workers and foster care workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a clinical social worker, becoming a foster care worker takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a clinical social worker has an average salary of $63,056, which is higher than the $46,037 average annual salary of a foster care worker.

The top three skills for a clinical social worker include social work, patients and behavioral health. The most important skills for a foster care worker are foster care, social work, and child abuse.

Clinical social worker vs foster care worker overview

	Clinical Social Worker	Foster Care Worker
Yearly salary	$63,056	$46,037
Hourly rate	$30.32	$22.13
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	124,816	151,625
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Master's Degree, 54%	Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age	45	42
Years of experience	2	4

What does a clinical social worker do?

A clinical social worker is an individual in social work, which provides help to individuals in need of improving their lives and their well-being. Clinical social workers must work with different individuals to help them address difficulties that they are trying to overcome. To perform counseling services, clinical social workers must take and pass the professional licensure examination. They also help disadvantaged individuals connect to resources and services that they may benefit from.

What does a foster care worker do?

A Foster Care Worker helps improve the social and psychological functioning of children and their families as well as increases the family's well-being and the academic functioning of children. They counsel families about issues regarding their child's care and develop healthy living situations.

Clinical social worker vs foster care worker salary

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

	Clinical Social Worker	Foster Care Worker
Average salary	$63,056	$46,037
Salary range	Between $42,000 And $92,000	Between $32,000 And $65,000
Highest paying City	Santa Rosa, CA	Baltimore, MD
Highest paying state	California	New Jersey
Best paying company	Tucson Electric Power	Riverview Health
Best paying industry	Education	Construction

Differences between clinical social worker and foster care worker education

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

	Clinical Social Worker	Foster Care Worker
Most common degree	Master's Degree, 54%	Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common major	Social Work	Social Work
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Boston University

Clinical social worker vs foster care worker demographics

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

	Clinical Social Worker	Foster Care Worker
Average age	45	42
Gender ratio	Male, 21.7% Female, 78.3%	Male, 20.1% Female, 79.9%
Race ratio	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%	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	13%	10%

Differences between clinical social worker and foster care worker duties and responsibilities

Clinical social worker example responsibilities.

Understand manage care, Medicare and Medicaid benefits.
Screen, identify, diagnose using DSM nomenclature, treat and manage mental health and/or substance abuse problems.
Provide clinical services to patients in rehabilitation and oncology including assessment, crisis intervention, grief therapy, and discharge planning.
Provide individual, group, family therapy, team coordination, discharge planning, utilization review and MSW student supervision.
Participate in weekly interdisciplinary team meetings to determine Medicare length of skil nursing stay.
Facilitate therapy, symptom management, and rehabilitation groups for mental health clients in partial hospitalization setting.

Foster care worker example responsibilities.

Conduct unscheduled regular school visits to attain records of attendance, suspensions, IEP, and treatment plans.
Manage to write progress note, complete FASP's and input information on PROMIS on a timely manner.
Manage caseload of 18 23 children and adolescents in DSS custody due to abuse, neglect and criminal activity.
Manage a caseload of families with children in DSS custody awaiting return home to family of origin base upon progress make.
Lead presentation and training sessions to community and inter-agency groups.
Help children/youth in state custody achieve permanency whether through reintegration, adoption or custodianship.

Clinical social worker vs foster care worker skills

Common clinical social worker skills

Social Work, 28%
Patients, 17%
Behavioral Health, 6%
Patient Care, 5%
Community Resources, 4%
MSW, 3%

Common foster care worker skills

Foster Care, 26%
Social Work, 19%
Child Abuse, 7%
Social Services, 6%
Foster Children, 5%
Community Resources, 4%

Clinical Social Worker vs. similar jobs

Clinical Social Worker related careers

Clinical Social Worker related jobs

Clinical Social Worker jobs by location

Zippia Careers
Community and Social Services Industry
Clinical Social Worker
Clinical Social Worker vs Foster Care Worker

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse community and social services jobs