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Family preservation worker vs licensed social worker

The differences between family preservation workers and licensed 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 family preservation worker, 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 $43,208 average annual salary of a family preservation worker.

The top three skills for a family preservation worker include social work, crisis intervention and child welfare. The most important skills for a licensed social worker are social work, patients, and home health.

Family preservation worker vs licensed social worker overview

Family Preservation WorkerLicensed Social Worker
Yearly salary$43,208$57,005
Hourly rate$20.77$27.41
Growth rate9%9%
Number of jobs41,99366,130
Job satisfaction-2
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 70%Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Average age4245
Years of experience42

Family preservation worker vs licensed social worker salary

Family preservation workers and licensed social workers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Family Preservation WorkerLicensed Social Worker
Average salary$43,208$57,005
Salary rangeBetween $30,000 And $60,000Between $41,000 And $78,000
Highest paying City-Sacramento, CA
Highest paying state-Alaska
Best paying company-Favorite Healthcare Staffing
Best paying industry-Health Care

Differences between family preservation worker and licensed social worker education

There are a few differences between a family preservation worker and a licensed social worker in terms of educational background:

Family Preservation WorkerLicensed Social Worker
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 70%Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Most common majorSocial WorkSocial Work
Most common collegeHunter College of the City University of New YorkUniversity of Pennsylvania

Family preservation worker vs licensed social worker demographics

Here are the differences between family preservation workers' and licensed social workers' demographics:

Family Preservation WorkerLicensed Social Worker
Average age4245
Gender ratioMale, 23.7% Female, 76.3%Male, 16.1% Female, 83.9%
Race ratioBlack 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%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 Percentage10%13%

Differences between family preservation worker and licensed social worker duties and responsibilities

Family preservation worker example responsibilities.

  • Help children/youth in state custody achieve permanency whether through reintegration, adoption or custodianship.
  • Provide information and support to transitioning foster youth during assessment, case planning or other permanency and transition-relate activities.
  • Perform related adoptions and supervisory visits for state adoptions.

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.
  • Show more

Family preservation worker vs licensed social worker skills

Common family preservation worker skills
  • Social Work, 25%
  • Crisis Intervention, 12%
  • Child Welfare, 9%
  • Child Protective, 5%
  • Community Resources, 5%
  • Court Hearings, 5%
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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