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The differences between health program specialists and mental health specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a health program specialist, becoming a mental health specialist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a health program specialist has an average salary of $48,114, which is higher than the $47,321 average annual salary of a mental health specialist.
The top three skills for a health program specialist include health education, data collection and patients. The most important skills for a mental health specialist are patients, social work, and rehabilitation.
| Health Program Specialist | Mental Health Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $48,114 | $47,321 |
| Hourly rate | $23.13 | $22.75 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 114,825 | 131,449 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A health program specialist is in charge of planning and developing health programs in communities or facilities. Their responsibilities include performing research and analysis to identify client needs, gathering and analyzing data, spearheading different activities that promote healthy lifestyles, assessing existing programs to determine areas needing improvement, and coordinating with health care experts. Furthermore, as a health program specialist, it is essential to lead and encourage the workforce to reach goals, all while adhering to the vision and mission of the organization or community.
A mental health specialist is responsible for evaluating a patient's mental health condition and develop appropriate treatment plans to help the patients cope up with their mental difficulties. Mental health specialists provide counseling to the patients, listening to their situation, and responding with the utmost consideration. They also create regular progress reports and medical charts to monitor ongoing medication, updating treatment plans as needed. A mental health specialist must have excellent communication and organization skills, helping the patients deal with their mental stress and return to a healthy lifestyle.
Health program specialists and mental health specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Health Program Specialist | Mental Health Specialist | |
| Average salary | $48,114 | $47,321 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $69,000 | Between $31,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Rafael, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Research Foundation For Mental Hygiene Inc |
| Best paying industry | Government | Government |
There are a few differences between a health program specialist and a mental health specialist in terms of educational background:
| Health Program Specialist | Mental Health Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between health program specialists' and mental health specialists' demographics:
| Health Program Specialist | Mental Health Specialist | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 30.6% Female, 69.4% | Male, 32.9% Female, 67.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 5.7% White, 62.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 3.1% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 15% |