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The differences between protective service specialists and student 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 protective service specialist and a student worker. Additionally, a protective service specialist has an average salary of $50,293, which is higher than the $25,735 average annual salary of a student worker.
The top three skills for a protective service specialist include social work, child safety and foster care. The most important skills for a student worker are customer service, front desk, and twitter.
| Protective Service Specialist | Student Worker | |
| Yearly salary | $50,293 | $25,735 |
| Hourly rate | $24.18 | $12.37 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 81,211 | 82,353 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
Student workers are students who are employed while also enrolled at the university. They usually work in a department or college where they handle different tasks. Most of the time, student workers are assigned to do administrative activities. Their tasks include sorting mail, sending outgoing mail, manning telephone lines, filing documents, updating records, liaising with other departments, and documenting meetings, among others. Student-workers may also be assigned to handle or assist in university-wide events and activities. They are expected to be technologically savvy so that they can really help out in the department they are assigned to. Student-workers should be responsible, trustworthy, and diligent.
Protective service specialists and student workers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Protective Service Specialist | Student Worker | |
| Average salary | $50,293 | $25,735 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $76,000 | Between $19,000 And $34,000 |
| Highest paying City | Baltimore, MD | Albany, NY |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Parsons | University of California, Berkeley |
| Best paying industry | Government | Retail |
There are a few differences between a protective service specialist and a student worker in terms of educational background:
| Protective Service Specialist | Student Worker | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Social Work | Business |
| Most common college | SUNY at Albany | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between protective service specialists' and student workers' demographics:
| Protective Service Specialist | Student Worker | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.5% Female, 65.5% | Male, 38.7% Female, 61.3% |
| 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, 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 | 10% | 10% |