Hospital social worker vs psychiatric social worker

The differences between hospital social workers and psychiatric 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 hospital social worker and a psychiatric social worker. Additionally, a psychiatric social worker has an average salary of $59,144, which is higher than the $54,774 average annual salary of a hospital social worker.

The top three skills for a hospital social worker include social work, patients and patient care. The most important skills for a psychiatric social worker are social work, patients, and crisis intervention.

Hospital social worker vs psychiatric social worker overview

	Hospital Social Worker	Psychiatric Social Worker
Yearly salary	$54,774	$59,144
Hourly rate	$26.33	$28.43
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	105,520	57,284
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Master's Degree, 51%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	2	2

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 psychiatric social worker do?

A psychiatric social worker specializes in providing mental health treatments and other services to patients and their families, referring them to other agencies and programs as needed. They conduct assessments and interviews to determine the condition of patients, devise specific treatment and care plans, update and maintain patient records, conduct regular counseling sessions, and monitor the progress of every patient to ensure their health and welfare. They may also provide interventions, train junior psychiatric social workers, and conduct reviews and evaluations on existing care plans.

Hospital social worker vs psychiatric social worker salary

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

	Hospital Social Worker	Psychiatric Social Worker
Average salary	$54,774	$59,144
Salary range	Between $38,000 And $77,000	Between $43,000 And $79,000
Highest paying City	Santa Rosa, CA	San Mateo, CA
Highest paying state	Alaska	California
Best paying company	Medical Billing	Highmark
Best paying industry	Health Care	Government

Differences between hospital social worker and psychiatric social worker education

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

	Hospital Social Worker	Psychiatric Social Worker
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 48%	Master's Degree, 51%
Most common major	Social Work	Social Work
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Hospital social worker vs psychiatric social worker demographics

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

	Hospital Social Worker	Psychiatric Social Worker
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 22.9% Female, 77.1%	Male, 24.8% Female, 75.2%
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, 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 hospital social worker and psychiatric social worker 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.

Psychiatric social worker example responsibilities.

Screen, identify, diagnose using DSM nomenclature, treat and manage mental health and/or substance abuse problems.
Provide clinical supervision and oversight to MSW intern who provide assessments and treatment.
Participate in weekly hospital social services meetings, weekly individual supervision, and facilitate change strategies for patients.
Guide, mentore, and tutor both BSW and MSW students in internship programs.
Assist individual in developing and practicing the skills define on their psychiatric rehabilitation plans.
Follow patients throughout hospitalization, working closely with attending psychiatrist; involve in family, individual and group treatment.

Hospital social worker vs psychiatric social worker skills

Common hospital social worker skills

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

Common psychiatric social worker skills

Social Work, 23%
Patients, 16%
Crisis Intervention, 7%
Rehabilitation, 5%
Discharge Planning, 5%
Mental Health, 4%

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Hospital Social Worker
Hospital Social Worker vs Psychiatric Social Worker

Updated January 8, 2025

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