Drug abuse technician vs psychiatric social worker

The differences between drug abuse technicians and psychiatric 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 psychiatric social worker takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a psychiatric social worker has an average salary of $59,144, 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 psychiatric social worker are social work, patients, and crisis intervention.

Drug abuse technician vs psychiatric social worker overview

	Drug Abuse Technician	Psychiatric Social Worker
Yearly salary	$29,180	$59,144
Hourly rate	$14.03	$28.43
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	87,872	57,284
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	Master's Degree, 51%
Average age	39	45
Years of experience	6	2

Drug abuse technician vs psychiatric social worker salary

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

	Drug Abuse Technician	Psychiatric Social Worker
Average salary	$29,180	$59,144
Salary range	Between $22,000 And $37,000	Between $43,000 And $79,000
Highest paying City	Dana Point, CA	San Mateo, CA
Highest paying state	Oregon	California
Best paying company	Choctaw Nation Of Oklahoma	Highmark
Best paying industry	Health Care	Government

Differences between drug abuse technician and psychiatric social worker education

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

	Drug Abuse Technician	Psychiatric Social Worker
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 36%	Master's Degree, 51%
Most common major	Criminal Justice	Social Work
Most common college	San Diego State University	University of Pennsylvania

Drug abuse technician vs psychiatric social worker demographics

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

	Drug Abuse Technician	Psychiatric Social Worker
Average age	39	45
Gender ratio	Male, 41.5% Female, 58.5%	Male, 24.8% Female, 75.2%
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 psychiatric 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.

Psychiatric social worker example responsibilities.

Screen, identify, diagnose using DSM nomenclature, treat and manage mental health and/or substance abuse problems.
Provide clinical supervision and oversight to MSW intern who provide assessments and treatment.
Participate in weekly hospital social services meetings, weekly individual supervision, and facilitate change strategies for patients.
Guide, mentore, and tutor both BSW and MSW students in internship programs.
Assist individual in developing and practicing the skills define on their psychiatric rehabilitation plans.
Follow patients throughout hospitalization, working closely with attending psychiatrist; involve in family, individual and group treatment.

Drug abuse technician vs psychiatric 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 psychiatric social worker skills

Social Work, 23%
Patients, 16%
Crisis Intervention, 7%
Rehabilitation, 5%
Discharge Planning, 5%
Mental Health, 4%

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Drug Abuse Technician
Drug Abuse Technician vs Psychiatric Social Worker

Updated January 8, 2025

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