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The differences between family specialists and child welfare specialists 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 specialist and a child welfare specialist. Additionally, a child welfare specialist has an average salary of $50,377, which is higher than the $40,115 average annual salary of a family specialist.
The top three skills for a family specialist include social work, foster care and substance abuse. The most important skills for a child welfare specialist are social work, foster care, and child safety.
| Family Specialist | Child Welfare Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $40,115 | $50,377 |
| Hourly rate | $19.29 | $24.22 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 81,148 | 76,508 |
| Job satisfaction | 2 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Family Specialist performs social work for families in need. They are focused on helping individuals and families to improve their lives.
Child welfare specialists are professionals who are responsible for protecting children and youngsters from harm by visiting their homes and other residential facilities to investigate their living conditions. These specialists are required to determine the suitability of the homes and resources of foster and adoptive parents for child placement. They must serve as child advocates by attending court proceedings to provide inclusive court proceedings. Child welfare specialists must also work closely with local enforcement to ensure the safety of children.
Family specialists and child welfare specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Family Specialist | Child Welfare Specialist | |
| Average salary | $40,115 | $50,377 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $51,000 | Between $35,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Cherry Hill, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Brigham and Women's Hospital | University of California |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a family specialist and a child welfare specialist in terms of educational background:
| Family Specialist | Child Welfare Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Social Work |
| Most common college | SUNY at Albany | SUNY at Albany |
Here are the differences between family specialists' and child welfare specialists' demographics:
| Family Specialist | Child Welfare Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 32.4% Female, 67.6% | Male, 20.2% Female, 79.8% |
| 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% |