Hospital social worker vs family therapist

The differences between hospital social workers and family therapists 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 therapist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a hospital social worker has an average salary of $54,774, which is higher than the $50,774 average annual salary of a family therapist.

The top three skills for a hospital social worker include social work, patients and patient care. The most important skills for a family therapist are social work, patients, and rehabilitation.

Hospital social worker vs family therapist overview

	Hospital Social Worker	Family Therapist
Yearly salary	$54,774	$50,774
Hourly rate	$26.33	$24.41
Growth rate	9%	14%
Number of jobs	105,520	106,982
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 47%
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 therapist do?

A Family Therapist works with couples and families to help ameliorate marital and family issues. They can work in hospitals, treatment programs, government agencies, health organizations, and private practices.

Hospital social worker vs family therapist salary

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

	Hospital Social Worker	Family Therapist
Average salary	$54,774	$50,774
Salary range	Between $38,000 And $77,000	Between $37,000 And $67,000
Highest paying City	Santa Rosa, CA	Rochester, NY
Highest paying state	Alaska	Oregon
Best paying company	Medical Billing	Dignity Health
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between hospital social worker and family therapist education

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

	Hospital Social Worker	Family Therapist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Most common major	Social Work	Psychology
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	California State University - Long Beach

Hospital social worker vs family therapist demographics

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

	Hospital Social Worker	Family Therapist
Average age	45	41
Gender ratio	Male, 22.9% Female, 77.1%	Male, 25.8% Female, 74.2%
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 therapist 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 therapist example responsibilities.

Complete documentation to medicaid standards.
Create maximum billable Medicaid hours and submitting necessary paperwork for Medicaid billing.
Apply behavioral analysis instruction for a student with autism concentrating on communication, socialization, self-help skills and community skills.
Receive and process referrals from DCF and community-base case managers for individuals suspect as substance abusers.

Hospital social worker vs family therapist skills

Common hospital social worker skills

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

Common family therapist skills

Social Work, 27%
Patients, 6%
Rehabilitation, 4%
Community Resources, 4%
Mental Health Issues, 4%
Group Therapy, 3%

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Hospital Social Worker
Hospital Social Worker vs Family Therapist

Updated January 8, 2025

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