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The differences between protective services social workers and family therapists 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 services social worker and a family therapist. Additionally, a protective services social worker has an average salary of $51,488, which is higher than the $50,774 average annual salary of a family therapist.
The top three skills for a protective services social worker include social work, protective services and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a family therapist are social work, patients, and rehabilitation.
| Protective Services Social Worker | Family Therapist | |
| Yearly salary | $51,488 | $50,774 |
| Hourly rate | $24.75 | $24.41 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 94,975 | 106,982 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Protective Services Social Worker provides counseling, rehabilitation, or placement services for children and adults who are disabled. They also help individuals or families deal with domestic violence, traumatic events, or terminal illnesses.
A Family Therapist works with couples and families to help ameliorate marital and family issues. They can work in hospitals, treatment programs, government agencies, health organizations, and private practices.
Protective services social workers and family therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Protective Services Social Worker | Family Therapist | |
| Average salary | $51,488 | $50,774 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $63,000 | Between $37,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | New Brunswick, NJ | Rochester, NY |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Oregon |
| Best paying company | Washington State University | Dignity Health |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a protective services social worker and a family therapist in terms of educational background:
| Protective Services Social Worker | Family Therapist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Social Work | Psychology |
| Most common college | Boston College | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between protective services social workers' and family therapists' demographics:
| Protective Services Social Worker | Family Therapist | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 18.6% Female, 81.4% | Male, 25.8% Female, 74.2% |
| 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, 7.0% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 4.6% White, 68.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 6% |