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The differences between health specialists and mental health therapists 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 specialist, becoming a mental health therapist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a mental health therapist has an average salary of $50,259, which is higher than the $47,740 average annual salary of a health specialist.
The top three skills for a health specialist include patients, health education and public health. The most important skills for a mental health therapist are social work, patients, and mental health.
| Health Specialist | Mental Health Therapist | |
| Yearly salary | $47,740 | $50,259 |
| Hourly rate | $22.95 | $24.16 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 72,463 | 114,386 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Master's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A health specialist is primarily responsible for the health and welfare care of patients in a community or medical facility. They are also responsible for providing consultations, conducting assessments and examinations, providing prescriptions, and recommending care methods. A health specialist may also diagnose and treat ailments and injuries, coordinate with other health experts, and discuss conditions with patients and their families. Furthermore, a health specialist may participate in public discussions to raise awareness of health issues and lifestyles.
The job of mental health therapists is to guide individuals, groups, couples, and families with problems that are impacting their well-being and mental health. Their duties and responsibilities include encouraging clients to talk about their experiences, examining issues that may affect mental health such as substance abuse and bullying, and assisting clients in defining their goals and action plans. Mental health therapists are also responsible for developing therapeutic processes, referring clients to other services or resources like psychologists, and helping them adjust to life changes.
Health specialists and mental health therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Health Specialist | Mental Health Therapist | |
| Average salary | $47,740 | $50,259 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $72,000 | Between $35,000 And $70,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | City of Seattle | Tykes And Teens |
| Best paying industry | Government | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a health specialist and a mental health therapist in terms of educational background:
| Health Specialist | Mental Health Therapist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Master's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Social Work |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between health specialists' and mental health therapists' demographics:
| Health Specialist | Mental Health Therapist | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.3% Female, 66.7% | Male, 23.3% Female, 76.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 5.7% White, 62.2% 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% |