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The differences between licensed social workers and community health 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 licensed social worker, becoming a community health counselor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a licensed social worker has an average salary of $57,005, which is higher than the $43,304 average annual salary of a community health counselor.
The top three skills for a licensed social worker include social work, patients and home health. The most important skills for a community health counselor are social work, behavioral health, and patients.
| Licensed Social Worker | Community Health Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $57,005 | $43,304 |
| Hourly rate | $27.41 | $20.82 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 66,130 | 131,804 |
| Job satisfaction | 2 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
Licensed Social Workers are duly and legally recognized to carry out activities related to social work. They identify individuals or groups of people in need and assess what kind of help they require. They may assist these people in connecting to agencies that would cater to their needs. Licensed Social Workers also help people cope with their challenges. They are responsible for crafting treatment plans or well-being improvement plans for the individuals they help. They may also be called on during times of crisis to provide emotional support to the individuals involved.
A community health counselor typically provides health and welfare support to the disadvantaged members of a community. Their responsibilities revolve around devising strategies to reach out to community members, coordinating with schools and other institutions, and building positive relationships with the communities that they serve. They may also provide counseling sessions to individuals of all ages, conduct observations and assessments, perform interventions, and identify any signs of abuse or neglect, reporting to the authorities right away. Furthermore, they may refer families or individuals to other social services unit if necessary.
Licensed social workers and community health counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Licensed Social Worker | Community Health Counselor | |
| Average salary | $57,005 | $43,304 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $78,000 | Between $29,000 And $63,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sacramento, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Favorite Healthcare Staffing | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a licensed social worker and a community health counselor in terms of educational background:
| Licensed Social Worker | Community Health Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Social Work | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between licensed social workers' and community health counselors' demographics:
| Licensed Social Worker | Community Health Counselor | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 16.1% Female, 83.9% | Male, 31.4% Female, 68.6% |
| 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, 11.3% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 3.2% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 15% |