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The differences between community workers and social workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a community worker, becoming a social worker takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a social worker has an average salary of $50,102, which is higher than the $40,029 average annual salary of a community worker.
The top three skills for a community worker include social services, mental health and rehabilitation. The most important skills for a social worker are social work, patients, and patient care.
| Community Worker | Social Worker | |
| Yearly salary | $40,029 | $50,102 |
| Hourly rate | $19.24 | $24.09 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 46,201 | 77,340 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 43 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
Community workers are individuals who work with families or social communities to help promote or restore the social functioning of a community. These workers must promote social justice and maximizing human potential while advocating the rights of individuals and community groups. They must have the skills and flexibility to work with multiple client groups to assess and evaluate community projects and programs. Community workers must also work for non-profit organizations, government, and private sectors to provide human services.
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.
Community workers and social workers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Community Worker | Social Worker | |
| Average salary | $40,029 | $50,102 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $55,000 | Between $37,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Mateo, CA | Portland, OR |
| Highest paying state | California | Oregon |
| Best paying company | University of Illinois Springfield | Health Advocates |
| Best paying industry | Education | Government |
There are a few differences between a community worker and a social worker in terms of educational background:
| Community Worker | Social Worker | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Social Work |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between community workers' and social workers' demographics:
| Community Worker | Social Worker | |
| Average age | 43 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 31.6% Female, 68.4% | Male, 19.5% Female, 80.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 22.9% Asian, 6.2% White, 54.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | 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 | 21% | 13% |