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The differences between protective service specialists and 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 specialist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a specialist has an average salary of $58,013, which is higher than the $50,293 average annual salary of a protective 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 specialist are patients, customer service, and work ethic.
| Protective Service Specialist | Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $50,293 | $58,013 |
| Hourly rate | $24.18 | $27.89 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 81,211 | 358,433 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
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.
Specialists are employees who are responsible for specific tasks or activities in the department they are assigned to. The actions or tasks they work on are related to their educational background or work experiences. They are usually highly skilled in specializations related to the work they are assigned to. Specialists are also highly trained on the competencies that are required of their specialty. As such, they are focused on the skills and competencies that are needed to enhance their experience in their specific field further.
Protective service specialists and specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Protective Service Specialist | Specialist | |
| Average salary | $50,293 | $58,013 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $76,000 | Between $32,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | Baltimore, MD | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Parsons | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Government | - |
There are a few differences between a protective service specialist and a specialist in terms of educational background:
| Protective Service Specialist | Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Social Work | Business |
| Most common college | SUNY at Albany | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between protective service specialists' and specialists' demographics:
| Protective Service Specialist | Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.5% Female, 65.5% | Male, 47.5% Female, 52.5% |
| 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, 11.4% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 10.5% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 11% |