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The differences between hospital social workers and school social workers 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 school social worker takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a school social worker has an average salary of $54,856, 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 school social worker are social work, social emotional, and IEP.
| Hospital Social Worker | School Social Worker | |
| Yearly salary | $54,774 | $54,856 |
| Hourly rate | $26.33 | $26.37 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 105,520 | 122,376 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Master's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
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.
A school social worker specializes in counseling students, families, and faculty members. They are responsible for coordinating with the school to develop programs that prioritize the students' emotional and psychological well-being, respond to any issues and concerns, build rapport to identify their needs, and communicate with support services to provide necessary assistance to any students or families. There are also instances when a school social worker must assist teachers in handling students with behavioral issues, investigating the underlying reasons. Moreover, it is crucial to identify any signs of neglect or abuse, conducting interventive measures right away.
Hospital social workers and school social workers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Hospital Social Worker | School Social Worker | |
| Average salary | $54,774 | $54,856 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $77,000 | Between $40,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Washington |
| Best paying company | Medical Billing | Boston Public Schools |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Education |
There are a few differences between a hospital social worker and a school social worker in terms of educational background:
| Hospital Social Worker | School 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 | Boston College |
Here are the differences between hospital social workers' and school social workers' demographics:
| Hospital Social Worker | School Social Worker | |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 22.9% Female, 77.1% | Male, 17.5% Female, 82.5% |
| 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, 13.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 2.7% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 10% |