Hospice social worker vs licensed social worker

The differences between hospice social workers and licensed social workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a hospice social worker and a licensed social worker. Additionally, a licensed social worker has an average salary of $57,005, which is higher than the $52,859 average annual salary of a hospice social worker.

The top three skills for a hospice social worker include social work, patients and home health. The most important skills for a licensed social worker are social work, patients, and home health.

Hospice social worker vs licensed social worker overview

	Hospice Social Worker	Licensed Social Worker
Yearly salary	$52,859	$57,005
Hourly rate	$25.41	$27.41
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	110,787	66,130
Job satisfaction	-	2
Most common degree	Master's Degree, 50%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	2	2

What does a hospice social worker do?

A hospice social worker is primarily in charge of providing emotional support and guidance to terminally-ill patients and their families, aiming to give them comfort and assistance in various procedures. Their responsibilities include identifying the needs of patients and their families through visitations or appointments, coordinating with nurses and physicians, and serving as a patient advocate by providing them with spiritual and emotional comfort. Furthermore, as a hospice social worker, it is essential to assist families with the bereavement processes, referring them to other programs as necessary.

What does a licensed social worker do?

Licensed Social Workers are duly and legally recognized to carry out activities related to social work. They identify individuals or groups of people in need and assess what kind of help they require. They may assist these people in connecting to agencies that would cater to their needs. Licensed Social Workers also help people cope with their challenges. They are responsible for crafting treatment plans or well-being improvement plans for the individuals they help. They may also be called on during times of crisis to provide emotional support to the individuals involved.

Hospice social worker vs licensed social worker salary

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

	Hospice Social Worker	Licensed Social Worker
Average salary	$52,859	$57,005
Salary range	Between $41,000 And $67,000	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 hospice social worker and licensed social worker education

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

	Hospice Social Worker	Licensed Social Worker
Most common degree	Master's Degree, 50%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Most common major	Social Work	Social Work
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Hospice social worker vs licensed social worker demographics

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

	Hospice Social Worker	Licensed Social Worker
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 13.8% Female, 86.2%	Male, 16.1% Female, 83.9%
Race ratio	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%	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	13%	13%

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

Hospice social worker example responsibilities.

Collaborate with multidisciplinary team to provide necessary referrals and counseling to achieve establish patient goals.
Provide support, education and compassion to patients and family members.
Assist patients and families with obtaining necessary insurances such as Medicaid, etc.
Provide advocacy and support services to terminally ill patients, families and/or significant others to maximize benefits and limit out-of-pocket expenses.
Work as lead MSW on all pediatric hospice cases.
Work with other members of the IDT to track and document changes to the patient's status, coping, etc.

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.

Hospice social worker vs licensed social worker skills

Common hospice social worker skills

Social Work, 29%
Patients, 19%
Home Health, 11%
MSW, 5%
Patient Care, 4%
Crisis Intervention, 4%

Common licensed social worker skills

Social Work, 29%
Patients, 13%
Home Health, 11%
Rehabilitation, 5%
Substance Abuse, 5%
Crisis Intervention, 4%

Hospice Social Worker vs. similar jobs

Hospice Social Worker related careers

Hospice Social Worker related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Community and Social Services Industry
Hospice Social Worker
Hospice Social Worker vs Licensed Social Worker

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse community and social services jobs