Hospital social worker vs family counselor

The differences between hospital social workers and family counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a hospital social worker, becoming a family counselor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a hospital social worker has an average salary of $54,774, which is higher than the $41,510 average annual salary of a family counselor.

The top three skills for a hospital social worker include social work, patients and patient care. The most important skills for a family counselor are social work, community resources, and POC.

Hospital social worker vs family counselor overview

	Hospital Social Worker	Family Counselor
Yearly salary	$54,774	$41,510
Hourly rate	$26.33	$19.96
Growth rate	9%	14%
Number of jobs	105,520	93,253
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Average age	45	41
Years of experience	2	4

What does a hospital social worker do?

The job of a hospital social worker is one that constantly puts them in the limelight. They perform duties to help patients as they navigate the process of being sick and hospitalized. They assist patients in dealing with the effects of hospitalization. They function as the middleman between patients and the hospital staff. They must also connect patients to much-needed services and assist with coordinating insurance reimbursements.

What does a family counselor do?

A Family Counselor treats married couples or family members in order to help them overcome mental or emotional problems. They provide effective treatment measures to help the family members resolve their issues.

Hospital social worker vs family counselor salary

Hospital social workers and family counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Hospital Social Worker	Family Counselor
Average salary	$54,774	$41,510
Salary range	Between $38,000 And $77,000	Between $27,000 And $62,000
Highest paying City	Santa Rosa, CA	New York, NY
Highest paying state	Alaska	New York
Best paying company	Medical Billing	Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
Best paying industry	Health Care	Professional

Differences between hospital social worker and family counselor education

There are a few differences between a hospital social worker and a family counselor in terms of educational background:

	Hospital Social Worker	Family Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Most common major	Social Work	Psychology
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	California State University - Long Beach

Hospital social worker vs family counselor demographics

Here are the differences between hospital social workers' and family counselors' demographics:

	Hospital Social Worker	Family Counselor
Average age	45	41
Gender ratio	Male, 22.9% Female, 77.1%	Male, 26.3% Female, 73.7%
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, 7.0% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 4.6% White, 68.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	13%	6%

Differences between hospital social worker and family counselor duties and responsibilities

Hospital social worker example responsibilities.

Screen, identify, diagnose using DSM nomenclature, treat and manage mental health and/or substance abuse problems.
Provide individual therapy, case management, and insurance coverage reviews for individuals undergoing short-term rehabilitation.
Provide orientation, support and information to patients and their families to facilitate active involvement in the rehabilitation environment.
Perform assessments/social history upon admission to better understand the patient's needs and personal circumstances as they relate to their rehabilitation.
Coordinate care with community providers for follow up if patient are discharged, prepare documentation for admission to inpatient psychiatry unit.
Analyze psychological / psycho-social evaluations, IEP's, and medical histories within a referral packet to determine eligibility.

Family counselor example responsibilities.

Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
Assist the clients in completing their DCF case plan, helping to remove any hindrances they may encounter.
Counsele and test patients who requesting confidential HIV testing services
Collaborate and coordinate patient care with resident/faculty physicians to provide appropriate levels of care to patients.
Receive and process referrals from DCF and community-base case managers for individuals suspect as substance abusers.
Utilize PowerPoint presentations to facilitate ongoing new student orientation, ensuring students understand rules and regulations.

Hospital social worker vs family counselor skills

Common hospital social worker skills

Social Work, 28%
Patients, 21%
Patient Care, 7%
MSW, 6%
Behavioral Health, 5%
Acute Care, 4%

Common family counselor skills

Social Work, 22%
Community Resources, 13%
POC, 7%
Family Support, 5%
Family Therapy, 5%
DOD, 4%

Hospital Social Worker vs. similar jobs

Hospital Social Worker related careers

Hospital Social Worker related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Community and Social Services Industry
Hospital Social Worker
Hospital Social Worker vs Family Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse community and social services jobs