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The differences between housing specialists and family support specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a housing specialist, becoming a family support specialist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a housing specialist has an average salary of $40,842, which is higher than the $37,343 average annual salary of a family support specialist.
The top three skills for a housing specialist include landlords, social work and mental health. The most important skills for a family support specialist are social work, child abuse, and patients.
| Housing Specialist | Family Support Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $40,842 | $37,343 |
| Hourly rate | $19.64 | $17.95 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 56,215 | 143,739 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
A housing specialist is responsible for determining the eligibility of individuals on housing opportunities, coordinating with non-profit organizations to request financial assistance, and negotiating terms for housing purposes. Housing specialists analyze the property market conditions, including social services offers and its qualification requirements, to inform the clients of housing support programs and other alternatives. They also prepare cost analysis reports to identify financial needs and check the availability of resources with minimal restrictions. A housing specialist must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in handling clients' account statements and assisting them for approval.
A family support specialist is an individual who provides counseling and rehabilitation services to families who are facing crises so that their lives can be improved. Family support specialists conduct interviews with members of a family to determine areas that need support such as anti-social behavior, bullying, or domestic violence. They collaborate with healthcare and social professionals to evaluate caseload needs. In cases of relevant child protection, family support specialists are also required to attend court sessions.
Housing specialists and family support specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Housing Specialist | Family Support Specialist | |
| Average salary | $40,842 | $37,343 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $57,000 | Between $24,000 And $55,000 |
| Highest paying City | Urban Honolulu, HI | Trenton, NJ |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | GeoLogics | Catholic Health East |
| Best paying industry | Government | Professional |
There are a few differences between a housing specialist and a family support specialist in terms of educational background:
| Housing Specialist | Family Support Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Business | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Hunter College of the City University of New York |
Here are the differences between housing specialists' and family support specialists' demographics:
| Housing Specialist | Family Support Specialist | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 27.0% Female, 73.0% | Male, 14.0% Female, 86.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.5% Asian, 7.0% White, 55.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7% | 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 | 11% | 10% |