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The differences between family service workers and residence counselors 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 worker and a residence counselor. Additionally, a family service worker has an average salary of $37,674, which is higher than the $34,931 average annual salary of a residence counselor.
The top three skills for a family service worker include social work, foster care and child abuse. The most important skills for a residence counselor are developmental disabilities, CPR, and community resources.
| Family Service Worker | Residence Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $37,674 | $34,931 |
| Hourly rate | $18.11 | $16.79 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 36% |
| Number of jobs | 111,599 | 78,872 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A family service worker is in charge of providing support services to families in a community, referring them to other agencies or programs as needed. They serve as the primary point of contact of family members, ensuring they maintain an active line of communication. Their responsibilities typically revolve around enrolling family members into social services programs, gathering and verifying information, maintaining databases, and assisting in all procedures, all while updating families for any progress. Furthermore, a family service worker needs to coordinate with other social workers to provide the most effective service.
Residence counselors are professionals who are responsible for providing services such as one-to-one therapy and crisis support to clients who are living in group homes or assisted-living facilities. These counselors must assist adults with moderate intellectual disabilities to find employment while monitoring their work performance. They must facilitate and supervise daily personal care and activities for developmentally disabled adults. Residence counselors must also encourage clients to participate in community activities that can contribute to the development of skills necessary for independent living.
Family service workers and residence counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Family Service Worker | Residence Counselor | |
| Average salary | $37,674 | $34,931 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $49,000 | Between $28,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | Chicago, IL | Phoenix, AZ |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Washington |
| Best paying company | Washington County | McLean Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Government | Education |
There are a few differences between a family service worker and a residence counselor in terms of educational background:
| Family Service Worker | Residence Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Social Work | Psychology |
| Most common college | Hunter College of the City University of New York | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between family service workers' and residence counselors' demographics:
| Family Service Worker | Residence Counselor | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 14.8% Female, 85.2% | Male, 34.5% Female, 65.5% |
| 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, 11.3% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 3.2% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 15% |