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The differences between licensed social workers and counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a licensed social worker has an average salary of $57,005, which is higher than the $36,225 average annual salary of a counselor.
The top three skills for a licensed social worker include social work, patients and home health. The most important skills for a counselor are patients, crisis intervention, and substance abuse.
| Licensed Social Worker | Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $57,005 | $36,225 |
| Hourly rate | $27.41 | $17.42 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 66,130 | 77,536 |
| Job satisfaction | 2 | 2 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 45 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | - |
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.
Often, counselors are known to be the go-to person in times we are in need of emotional and psychological support. They help people to manage and overcome the issues which affect their mental health and well-being. Counselors face different kind of situations which may involve trauma, addiction, disabilities, abuse, suicide, anger management, career, and even personal relationships. They provide care, counseling, rehabilitation, and support services. Every counseling requires collaborative effort both from the counselor and client to become effective.
Licensed social workers and counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Licensed Social Worker | Counselor | |
| Average salary | $57,005 | $36,225 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $78,000 | Between $19,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sacramento, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Favorite Healthcare Staffing | - |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Education |
There are a few differences between a licensed social worker and a counselor in terms of educational background:
| Licensed Social Worker | Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Social Work | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between licensed social workers' and counselors' demographics:
| Licensed Social Worker | Counselor | |
| Average age | 45 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 16.1% Female, 83.9% | Male, 38.5% Female, 61.5% |
| 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, 15.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 3.5% White, 63.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 9% |