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The differences between family support workers 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 support worker and a school social worker. Additionally, a school social worker has an average salary of $54,856, which is higher than the $38,207 average annual salary of a family support worker.
The top three skills for a family support worker include social work, foster care and family support. The most important skills for a school social worker are social work, social emotional, and IEP.
| Family Support Worker | School Social Worker | |
| Yearly salary | $38,207 | $54,856 |
| Hourly rate | $18.37 | $26.37 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 159,875 | 122,376 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Master's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A family service worker is a social service agent who assesses the needs of family and promotes wellbeing, social justice, and human rights through governmental and social service agencies. Family service workers offer services that can include counseling and mediation to families that will help them navigate the protocols of the social system. They act as liaisons between families facing problems and different government organizations. Family service workers also ensure that families in need are getting the benefits they are entitled to, as well as help them access various community resources.
A school social worker specializes in counseling students, families, and faculty members. They are responsible for coordinating with the school to develop programs that prioritize the students' emotional and psychological well-being, respond to any issues and concerns, build rapport to identify their needs, and communicate with support services to provide necessary assistance to any students or families. There are also instances when a school social worker must assist teachers in handling students with behavioral issues, investigating the underlying reasons. Moreover, it is crucial to identify any signs of neglect or abuse, conducting interventive measures right away.
Family support workers and school social workers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Family Support Worker | School Social Worker | |
| Average salary | $38,207 | $54,856 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $54,000 | Between $40,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New York | Washington |
| Best paying company | St. Elizabeth's Health Center | Boston Public Schools |
| Best paying industry | Government | Education |
There are a few differences between a family support worker and a school social worker in terms of educational background:
| Family Support Worker | School Social Worker | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Master's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Social Work |
| Most common college | Hunter College of the City University of New York | Boston College |
Here are the differences between family support workers' and school social workers' demographics:
| Family Support Worker | School Social Worker | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 14.0% Female, 86.0% | 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% |