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The differences between licensed social workers and licensed professional 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 licensed professional counselor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a licensed professional counselor has an average salary of $94,675, which is higher than the $57,005 average annual salary of a licensed social worker.
The top three skills for a licensed social worker include social work, patients and home health. The most important skills for a licensed professional counselor are patients, social work, and LPC.
| Licensed Social Worker | Licensed Professional Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $57,005 | $94,675 |
| Hourly rate | $27.41 | $45.52 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 66,130 | 153,612 |
| Job satisfaction | 2 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Master's Degree, 48% |
| 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 licensed professional counselor is a healthcare professional who specializes in providing therapy and counseling to patients with emotional and mental health issues. They listen to their patients and utilize various techniques to address concerns and help through the healing procedures. Their duties entail conducting interviews and evaluations, performing research and assessments, studying the patients' medical histories, providing consultations, and developing treatment plans that suit every patients' needs. Additionally, a licensed professional counselor monitors and records their patients' progress, adjusting treatments and medications as necessary.
Licensed social workers and licensed professional counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Licensed Social Worker | Licensed Professional Counselor | |
| Average salary | $57,005 | $94,675 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $78,000 | Between $73,000 And $122,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sacramento, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | New York |
| Best paying company | Favorite Healthcare Staffing | Bloomberg |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Real Estate |
There are a few differences between a licensed social worker and a licensed professional counselor in terms of educational background:
| Licensed Social Worker | Licensed Professional Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Master's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Social Work | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between licensed social workers' and licensed professional counselors' demographics:
| Licensed Social Worker | Licensed Professional Counselor | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 16.1% Female, 83.9% | Male, 28.8% Female, 71.2% |
| 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, 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% |