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The differences between protective service specialists and youth development professionals 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 development professional. Additionally, a protective service specialist has an average salary of $50,293, which is higher than the $43,758 average annual salary of a youth development professional.
The top three skills for a protective service specialist include social work, child safety and foster care. The most important skills for a youth development professional are youth development, direct care, and productive relationships.
| Protective Service Specialist | Youth Development Professional | |
| Yearly salary | $50,293 | $43,758 |
| Hourly rate | $24.18 | $21.04 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 81,211 | 91,372 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| 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 Development Professionals are specialists in implementing and overseeing programs to help adolescents discover their abilities and interests. They are responsible for coordinating career days and field trips, organizing mentorship sessions, create youth outreach projects, and assisting community organizations in youth provision development. Other duties include supporting the training of volunteer youth workers as well as ensuring service provided adheres to professional standards and current regulations. A Youth Development Professional may specialize in a specific development sector, such as healthy living, experiential learning, or public service.
Protective service specialists and youth development professionals have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Protective Service Specialist | Youth Development Professional | |
| Average salary | $50,293 | $43,758 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $76,000 | Between $20,000 And $95,000 |
| Highest paying City | Baltimore, MD | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Parsons | MUFG EMEA |
| Best paying industry | Government | - |
There are a few differences between a protective service specialist and a youth development professional in terms of educational background:
| Protective Service Specialist | Youth Development Professional | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| 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 development professionals' demographics:
| Protective Service Specialist | Youth Development Professional | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.5% Female, 65.5% | Male, 41.0% Female, 59.0% |
| 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% |