Forensic social worker vs licensed social worker

The differences between forensic social 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 forensic social 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 $51,696 average annual salary of a forensic social worker.

The top three skills for a forensic social worker include social work, psycho-social assessments and mental health. The most important skills for a licensed social worker are social work, patients, and home health.

Forensic social worker vs licensed social worker overview

	Forensic Social Worker	Licensed Social Worker
Yearly salary	$51,696	$57,005
Hourly rate	$24.85	$27.41
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	102,030	66,130
Job satisfaction	-	2
Most common degree	Master's Degree, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Average age	42	45
Years of experience	4	2

Forensic social worker vs licensed social worker salary

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

	Forensic Social Worker	Licensed Social Worker
Average salary	$51,696	$57,005
Salary range	Between $41,000 And $64,000	Between $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 forensic social worker and licensed social worker education

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

	Forensic Social Worker	Licensed Social Worker
Most common degree	Master's Degree, 52%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Most common major	Social Work	Social Work
Most common college	Boston College	University of Pennsylvania

Forensic social worker vs licensed social worker demographics

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

	Forensic Social Worker	Licensed Social Worker
Average age	42	45
Gender ratio	Male, 21.4% Female, 78.6%	Male, 16.1% Female, 83.9%
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, 19.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 3.3% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	10%	13%

Differences between forensic social worker and licensed social worker duties and responsibilities

Forensic social worker example responsibilities.

Manage caseload and complete all paperwork according to OMH guidelines.
Counsele veterans and Medi-Cal clients individually to provide behavioral interventions in order to address their anxiety, depression and anger.
Facilitate the building of community partnerships and provide community outreach and marketing efforts to generate new client business.

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.

Forensic social worker vs licensed social worker skills

Common forensic social worker skills

Social Work, 29%
Psycho-Social Assessments, 11%
Mental Health, 9%
Crisis Intervention, 9%
Criminal Justice, 4%
Community Resources, 4%

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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Community and Social Services Industry
Forensic Social Worker
Forensic Social Worker vs Licensed Social Worker

Updated January 8, 2025

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