Drug abuse technician vs licensed social worker

The differences between drug abuse technicians and licensed social workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a drug abuse technician, becoming a licensed social worker takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a licensed social worker has an average salary of $57,005, which is higher than the $29,180 average annual salary of a drug abuse technician.

The top three skills for a drug abuse technician include drug screens, alcohol screens and drug tests. The most important skills for a licensed social worker are social work, patients, and home health.

Drug abuse technician vs licensed social worker overview

	Drug Abuse Technician	Licensed Social Worker
Yearly salary	$29,180	$57,005
Hourly rate	$14.03	$27.41
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	87,872	66,130
Job satisfaction	-	2
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Average age	39	45
Years of experience	6	2

Drug abuse technician vs licensed social worker salary

Drug abuse technicians and licensed social workers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Drug Abuse Technician	Licensed Social Worker
Average salary	$29,180	$57,005
Salary range	Between $22,000 And $37,000	Between $41,000 And $78,000
Highest paying City	Dana Point, CA	Sacramento, CA
Highest paying state	Oregon	Alaska
Best paying company	Choctaw Nation Of Oklahoma	Favorite Healthcare Staffing
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between drug abuse technician and licensed social worker education

There are a few differences between a drug abuse technician and a licensed social worker in terms of educational background:

	Drug Abuse Technician	Licensed Social Worker
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Social Work
Most common college	San Diego State University	University of Pennsylvania

Drug abuse technician vs licensed social worker demographics

Here are the differences between drug abuse technicians' and licensed social workers' demographics:

	Drug Abuse Technician	Licensed Social Worker
Average age	39	45
Gender ratio	Male, 41.5% Female, 58.5%	Male, 16.1% Female, 83.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 4.6% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	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 drug abuse technician and licensed social worker duties and responsibilities

Drug abuse technician example responsibilities.

Work with outside counsel to develop patent and trademark portfolio and manage patent litigation.
Complete intake procedures for new clients including UA's.
Compose written reports of data collect from patient evaluation and present to department chief for thorough analysis of patient diagnosis.
Administer state require DWI protocols including breathalyzer tests and obtaining specimens.

Licensed social worker example responsibilities.

Foster self-determination of patients by evaluating for vocational rehabilitation that includes employment, volunteering, or education opportunities.
Evaluate and provide psychotherapy services to patients diagnose with serious and persistent mental illness and/or chemical dependency within an inpatient setting.
Provide clinical supervision to MSW students.
Supervise and train MSW students during their final concentration practicum.
Plan and facilitate trainings that address trauma exposure and the impact of compassion fatigue on administrative staff.
Provide medically relate social services to residents in a sub-acute, short term rehabilitation unit.

Drug abuse technician vs licensed social worker skills

Common drug abuse technician skills

Drug Screens, 17%
Alcohol Screens, 17%
Drug Tests, 14%
Test Results, 12%
Vital Signs, 8%
Custody Procedures, 6%

Common licensed social worker skills

Social Work, 29%
Patients, 13%
Home Health, 11%
Rehabilitation, 5%
Substance Abuse, 5%
Crisis Intervention, 4%

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Community and Social Services Industry
Drug Abuse Technician
Drug Abuse Technician vs Licensed Social Worker

Updated January 8, 2025

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