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The differences between protective service specialists and youth advocates 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 youth advocate. Additionally, a protective service specialist has an average salary of $50,293, which is higher than the $33,924 average annual salary of a youth advocate.
The top three skills for a protective service specialist include social work, child safety and foster care. The most important skills for a youth advocate are mental health, social work, and foster care.
| Protective Service Specialist | Youth Advocate | |
| Yearly salary | $50,293 | $33,924 |
| Hourly rate | $24.18 | $16.31 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 81,211 | 78,437 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| 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.
Youth advocates are individuals who responsible for maintaining the human rights of youth while assisting them in developing their skills in all areas of life, such as education, health, employment, and relationships. These advocates are required to discuss youth development and involvement with various leaders in the community. They must provide crisis interventions by performing one-on-one and group meetings with young adults. Youth advocates must also work with mental health professionals within the community so that they can guide teenagers with drug or alcohol problems and mental health issues.
Protective service specialists and youth advocates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Protective Service Specialist | Youth Advocate | |
| Average salary | $50,293 | $33,924 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $76,000 | Between $27,000 And $41,000 |
| Highest paying City | Baltimore, MD | Syracuse, NY |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Parsons | First Place for Youth |
| Best paying industry | Government | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a protective service specialist and a youth advocate in terms of educational background:
| Protective Service Specialist | Youth Advocate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Social Work | Psychology |
| Most common college | SUNY at Albany | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between protective service specialists' and youth advocates' demographics:
| Protective Service Specialist | Youth Advocate | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.5% Female, 65.5% | Male, 38.6% Female, 61.4% |
| 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% |