Eligibility worker vs support staff

The differences between eligibility workers and desk clerks supervisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an eligibility worker, becoming a support staff takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an eligibility worker has an average salary of $38,510, which is higher than the $31,772 average annual salary of a support staff.

The top three skills for an eligibility worker include public assistance programs, social services and medical assistance. The most important skills for a support staff are customer service, developmental disabilities, and mental health.

Eligibility worker vs support staff overview

	Eligibility Worker	Support Staff
Yearly salary	$38,510	$31,772
Hourly rate	$18.51	$15.28
Growth rate	-	36%
Number of jobs	19,954	161,915
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	Bachelor's Degree, 46%
Average age	46	47
Years of experience	2	6

What does an eligibility worker do?

An eligibility worker is in charge of determining an individual's eligibility for social services and benefits such as financial and housing aid. Their responsibilities include gathering and reviewing applications, conducting interviews and assessments, and coordinating with various agencies to arrange services. They also assist individuals by understanding and identifying their needs, answering inquiries, referring them to services and other agencies, helping them fill out forms and other requirements, and updating them with the progress of their applications.

What does a support staff do?

School support staff provide specialized instructional and student support while utilizing school facilities. They often include diverse staff members whose main role is to ensure that students learn in a supportive and safe learning environment. It is also their duty to enhance school climate by promoting the involvement of parent and family in education as well as to encourage trusting, positive student relationships. They should inhibit positive behavior and send uplifting messages to students as they often connect with them throughout the day.

Eligibility worker vs support staff salary

Eligibility workers and desk clerks supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Eligibility Worker	Support Staff
Average salary	$38,510	$31,772
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $48,000	Between $25,000 And $40,000
Highest paying City	Urban Honolulu, HI	Seattle, WA
Highest paying state	New Jersey	New York
Best paying company	County Of Los Angeles Public Library	Lakeland Electric
Best paying industry	Professional	Finance

Differences between eligibility worker and support staff education

There are a few differences between an eligibility worker and a support staff in terms of educational background:

	Eligibility Worker	Support Staff
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	Bachelor's Degree, 46%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Northwestern University	Duke University

Eligibility worker vs support staff demographics

Here are the differences between eligibility workers' and desk clerks supervisors' demographics:

	Eligibility Worker	Support Staff
Average age	46	47
Gender ratio	Male, 18.4% Female, 81.6%	Male, 31.2% Female, 68.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 15.8% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 24.3% Asian, 10.6% White, 43.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4%	Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 6.2% White, 62.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	7%	8%

Differences between eligibility worker and support staff duties and responsibilities

Eligibility worker example responsibilities.

Calculate and determine benefits and renewals for applicants to state entitlement programs, CalFresh and Medi-Cal.
Greet the clients when they come to apply to foodstamps, calworks or medical.
Interview clients for food stamps, TANF and Medicaid to see if they are eligible to receive benefits.
Plan, implement and coordinate programs and services to TANF recipients and their family members in order to promote self-sufficiency.
Carry all the cases for the entire county of individuals who are self employ but still eligible for Calworks and/or foodstamps.
Gather require information and documentation to determine eligibility in the Medi-Cal program while implementing policies and regulations.

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Support staff example responsibilities.

Manage SharePoint inventory repository and assign access levels to new hires as needed.
Provide companionship to the consumer.
Tutor students in various science courses, English and GED prep classes.
Maintain a safe, supportive and therapeutic environment which fosters growth and rehabilitation.
Work with students at various levels of mathematics knowledge within the same teaching environment.
Work with students who have graduated from the developmental mathematics program on more advance mathematics classes.

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Eligibility worker vs support staff skills

Common eligibility worker skills

Public Assistance Programs, 10%
Social Services, 8%
Medical Assistance, 8%
Medi-Cal, 7%
Customer Service, 6%
Computer System, 5%

Common support staff skills

Customer Service, 9%
Developmental Disabilities, 7%
Mental Health, 6%
Meal Preparation, 6%
Direct Care, 6%
Home Maintenance, 6%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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