Forensic social worker vs school social worker

The differences between forensic social 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 forensic social worker and a school social worker. Additionally, a school social worker has an average salary of $54,856, 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 school social worker are social work, social emotional, and IEP.

Forensic social worker vs school social worker overview

	Forensic Social Worker	School Social Worker
Yearly salary	$51,696	$54,856
Hourly rate	$24.85	$26.37
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	102,030	122,376
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Master's Degree, 52%	Master's Degree, 51%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	4	4

Forensic social worker vs school social worker salary

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

	Forensic Social Worker	School Social Worker
Average salary	$51,696	$54,856
Salary range	Between $41,000 And $64,000	Between $40,000 And $73,000
Highest paying City	-	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	-	Washington
Best paying company	-	Boston Public Schools
Best paying industry	-	Education

Differences between forensic social worker and school social worker education

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

	Forensic Social Worker	School Social Worker
Most common degree	Master's Degree, 52%	Master's Degree, 51%
Most common major	Social Work	Social Work
Most common college	Boston College	Boston College

Forensic social worker vs school social worker demographics

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

	Forensic Social Worker	School Social Worker
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 21.4% Female, 78.6%	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 forensic social worker and school 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.

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.

Forensic social worker vs school 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 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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Forensic Social Worker
Forensic Social Worker vs School Social Worker

Updated January 8, 2025

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