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The differences between protective service specialists and service specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a protective service specialist, becoming a service specialist takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a protective service specialist has an average salary of $50,293, which is higher than the $44,150 average annual salary of a service specialist.
The top three skills for a protective service specialist include social work, child safety and foster care. The most important skills for a service specialist are patients, social work, and criminal justice.
| Protective Service Specialist | Service Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $50,293 | $44,150 |
| Hourly rate | $24.18 | $21.23 |
| Growth rate | 9% | -4% |
| Number of jobs | 81,211 | 207,020 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 42 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
Protective Service Specialists provide information to individuals and families to achieve self-sufficiency through child support services and employment opportunities. Most of these specialists recommend family services include parenting education, drug counseling, and financial base services. They review applicant documentation to determine eligibility for federal and state aid programs, including food stamps, Medicaid, and emergency assistance. Also, protective service specialists assist families with the resources that can help resolve the issues that risk the children's placement. They may even provide staff supervision about referrals obtained to ensure that they meet the criteria for services and intervention.
A service specialist is responsible for assisting customers with their inquiries and concerns about the services offered by the organization. Service specialists' duties include responding to customers' requests, updating customers of promotional offers and new services, escalating high-level concerns to the appropriate department, and keeping accurate records of clients' issues and resolutions. Service specialists are also in charge of preparing customer surveys to rate their satisfaction and identifying opportunities for service improvement. A service specialist must display excellent customer service and communication skills to address clients' concerns efficiently and accurately.
Protective service specialists and service specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Protective Service Specialist | Service Specialist | |
| Average salary | $50,293 | $44,150 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $76,000 | Between $27,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | Baltimore, MD | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Parsons | Ropes & Gray |
| Best paying industry | Government | Technology |
There are a few differences between a protective service specialist and a service specialist in terms of educational background:
| Protective Service Specialist | Service Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Social Work | Business |
| Most common college | SUNY at Albany | - |
Here are the differences between protective service specialists' and service specialists' demographics:
| Protective Service Specialist | Service Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.5% Female, 65.5% | Male, 40.1% Female, 59.9% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 20.9% Asian, 7.5% White, 54.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 7% |