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Licensed social worker vs psychologist

The differences between licensed social workers and psychologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a psychologist has an average salary of $97,803, 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 psychologist are patients, crisis intervention, and rehabilitation.

Licensed social worker vs psychologist overview

Licensed Social WorkerPsychologist
Yearly salary$57,005$97,803
Hourly rate$27.41$47.02
Growth rate9%6%
Number of jobs66,13012,516
Job satisfaction2-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 55%Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Average age4547
Years of experience2-

What does a licensed social worker do?

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.

What does a psychologist do?

Sales managers are responsible for leading the organization's sales team. They oversee the progress and performance of the whole team, set area assignments to team members, and set weekly or monthly quotas. Sales managers oversee training team members during onboarding and providing further coaching to help them achieve their goals. They manage the challenges that team members may meet and help mitigate any problems that come along the way. Sales managers also set the strategic direction of the sales team and follow through by ensuring that the team's activities are in line with the goals.

Licensed social worker vs psychologist salary

Licensed social workers and psychologists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Licensed Social WorkerPsychologist
Average salary$57,005$97,803
Salary rangeBetween $41,000 And $78,000Between $68,000 And $139,000
Highest paying CitySacramento, CASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateAlaskaCalifornia
Best paying companyFavorite Healthcare StaffingSierra Corporation
Best paying industryHealth CareHealth Care

Differences between licensed social worker and psychologist education

There are a few differences between a licensed social worker and a psychologist in terms of educational background:

Licensed Social WorkerPsychologist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 55%Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Most common majorSocial WorkPsychology
Most common collegeUniversity of PennsylvaniaNorthwestern University

Licensed social worker vs psychologist demographics

Here are the differences between licensed social workers' and psychologists' demographics:

Licensed Social WorkerPsychologist
Average age4547
Gender ratioMale, 16.1% Female, 83.9%Male, 35.2% Female, 64.8%
Race ratioBlack 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, 5.1% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 4.2% White, 75.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage13%20%

Differences between licensed social worker and psychologist duties and responsibilities

Licensed social worker example responsibilities.

  • Foster self-determination of patients by evaluating for vocational rehabilitation that includes employment, volunteering, or education opportunities.
  • Evaluate and provide psychotherapy services to patients diagnose with serious and persistent mental illness and/or chemical dependency within an inpatient setting.
  • Provide clinical supervision to MSW students.
  • Supervise and train MSW students during their final concentration practicum.
  • Plan and facilitate trainings that address trauma exposure and the impact of compassion fatigue on administrative staff.
  • Provide medically relate social services to residents in a sub-acute, short term rehabilitation unit.
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Psychologist example responsibilities.

  • Supervise mental health staff, including the overseeing of the provision of mental health services in a correctional facility.
  • Provide EMDR therapy for clients with trauma and anxiety.
  • Perform tests to diagnose autism in children or tests for the detection of autism at an early age.
  • Provide supervision and mentoring for APA Pre-Doctoral interns.
  • Supervise clinical activities of doctoral level psychology interns in APA accredit internship program.
  • Evaluate veterans for psychological disorders that may have resulted secondary to their military service for compensation purposes.
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Licensed social worker vs psychologist skills

Common licensed social worker skills
  • Social Work, 29%
  • Patients, 13%
  • Home Health, 11%
  • Rehabilitation, 5%
  • Substance Abuse, 5%
  • Crisis Intervention, 4%
Common psychologist skills
  • Patients, 18%
  • Crisis Intervention, 7%
  • Rehabilitation, 6%
  • Mental Illness, 5%
  • Clinical Supervision, 5%
  • APA, 4%

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