Family service counselor vs school social worker

The differences between family service counselors and school social workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a family service counselor and a school social worker. Additionally, a school social worker has an average salary of $54,856, which is higher than the $49,490 average annual salary of a family service counselor.

The top three skills for a family service counselor include social work, community resources and family services. The most important skills for a school social worker are social work, social emotional, and IEP.

Family service counselor vs school social worker overview

	Family Service Counselor	School Social Worker
Yearly salary	$49,490	$54,856
Hourly rate	$23.79	$26.37
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	84,595	122,376
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Master's Degree, 51%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	4	4

Family service counselor vs school social worker salary

Family service counselors and school social workers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Family Service Counselor	School Social Worker
Average salary	$49,490	$54,856
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $76,000	Between $40,000 And $73,000
Highest paying City	Trenton, NJ	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	New Jersey	Washington
Best paying company	Phoenix Children's	Boston Public Schools
Best paying industry	Government	Education

Differences between family service counselor and school social worker education

There are a few differences between a family service counselor and a school social worker in terms of educational background:

	Family Service Counselor	School Social Worker
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Master's Degree, 51%
Most common major	Psychology	Social Work
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Boston College

Family service counselor vs school social worker demographics

Here are the differences between family service counselors' and school social workers' demographics:

	Family Service Counselor	School Social Worker
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 37.8% Female, 62.2%	Male, 17.5% Female, 82.5%
Race ratio	Black 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, 13.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 2.7% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between family service counselor and school social worker duties and responsibilities

Family service counselor example responsibilities.

Maintain the HMIS databases for new leads and existing client s needs.
Design and implement new position utilizing community outreach counseling and support services for patients in partial hospital and outpatient programs.
Perform drug screens after hours so the kids wouldn't miss school.
Maintain and upkeep knowledge of current policy and program procedures for programs administer by DHS.
Identify and assess needs of minors place in care by DCF due to abuse or neglect.
Coordinate cases with supervisor, team members, providers, medical teams, DCF and attorneys as needed.

School social worker example responsibilities.

Case manage in-district and out-of-district students with emotional disabilities, autism, other health impair and physical disabilities.
Provide individual, group and family therapy to patients suffering from substance abuse/dependence.
Prepare APS reports as needed and present them to the state.
Prepare IEP's, set goals, and objectives consistent with CSE standards.
Train college interns, new employees, and volunteers on APS policies and procedures.
Design school-wide and individual PBIS programs and incentives; as well as compiled data relate to PBIS.

Family service counselor vs school social worker skills

Common family service counselor skills

Social Work, 22%
Community Resources, 13%
Family Services, 10%
Mental Health, 7%
Client Families, 6%
Child Abuse, 3%

Common school social worker skills

Social Work, 26%
Social Emotional, 6%
IEP, 6%
Community Resources, 5%
Professional Development, 5%
Behavioral Issues, 4%

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Family Service Counselor
Family Service Counselor vs School Social Worker

Updated January 8, 2025

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