Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between pediatric social workers and psychiatric social workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a pediatric social worker and a psychiatric social worker. Additionally, a psychiatric social worker has an average salary of $59,144, which is higher than the $58,039 average annual salary of a pediatric social worker.
The top three skills for a pediatric social worker include social work, patients and mental health. The most important skills for a psychiatric social worker are social work, patients, and crisis intervention.
| Pediatric Social Worker | Psychiatric Social Worker | |
| Yearly salary | $58,039 | $59,144 |
| Hourly rate | $27.90 | $28.43 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 58,217 | 57,284 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Master's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A pediatric social worker assists sick children and their families in the treatment and management of chronic conditions or illnesses. This role requires one to specialize in an area of pediatric care such as oncology, burns, etc. As a pediatric social worker, you must be ready to take up inpatient and outpatient responsibilities to advise and link your clients with the needed resources. They also offer emotional support, liaise with medical staff, and coordinate the child's care.
A psychiatric social worker specializes in providing mental health treatments and other services to patients and their families, referring them to other agencies and programs as needed. They conduct assessments and interviews to determine the condition of patients, devise specific treatment and care plans, update and maintain patient records, conduct regular counseling sessions, and monitor the progress of every patient to ensure their health and welfare. They may also provide interventions, train junior psychiatric social workers, and conduct reviews and evaluations on existing care plans.
Pediatric social workers and psychiatric social workers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Pediatric Social Worker | Psychiatric Social Worker | |
| Average salary | $58,039 | $59,144 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $80,000 | Between $43,000 And $79,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Mateo, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Highmark |
| Best paying industry | - | Government |
There are a few differences between a pediatric social worker and a psychiatric social worker in terms of educational background:
| Pediatric Social Worker | Psychiatric Social Worker | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Master's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Social Work | Social Work |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between pediatric social workers' and psychiatric social workers' demographics:
| Pediatric Social Worker | Psychiatric Social Worker | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 13.8% Female, 86.2% | Male, 24.8% Female, 75.2% |
| 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, 19.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 3.3% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 13% |