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The differences between mental health practitioners and school social workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a mental health practitioner and a school social worker. Additionally, a school social worker has an average salary of $54,856, which is higher than the $50,628 average annual salary of a mental health practitioner.
The top three skills for a mental health practitioner include social work, patients and mental health. The most important skills for a school social worker are social work, social emotional, and IEP.
| Mental Health Practitioner | School Social Worker | |
| Yearly salary | $50,628 | $54,856 |
| Hourly rate | $24.34 | $26.37 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 140,365 | 122,376 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Master's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Mental health practitioners are medical professionals who work with patients who have mental health issues such as schizophrenia, split personality disorder, and depression. These practitioners are required to develop and implement patient care plans for adults with severe mental disabilities while providing mental health services to attain improved mental health. They must make sure that patients did not spit out their medicines by observing post medication administration with the nurse. Mental health practitioners must also manage therapeutic activities that will teach patients about functional living skills.
A school social worker specializes in counseling students, families, and faculty members. They are responsible for coordinating with the school to develop programs that prioritize the students' emotional and psychological well-being, respond to any issues and concerns, build rapport to identify their needs, and communicate with support services to provide necessary assistance to any students or families. There are also instances when a school social worker must assist teachers in handling students with behavioral issues, investigating the underlying reasons. Moreover, it is crucial to identify any signs of neglect or abuse, conducting interventive measures right away.
Mental health practitioners and school social workers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mental Health Practitioner | School Social Worker | |
| Average salary | $50,628 | $54,856 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $71,000 | Between $40,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New York | Washington |
| Best paying company | Dignity Health | Boston Public Schools |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Education |
There are a few differences between a mental health practitioner and a school social worker in terms of educational background:
| Mental Health Practitioner | School Social Worker | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Master's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Social Work |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Boston College |
Here are the differences between mental health practitioners' and school social workers' demographics:
| Mental Health Practitioner | School Social Worker | |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.1% Female, 75.9% | Male, 17.5% Female, 82.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 3.1% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | 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 | 15% | 10% |