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The differences between protective services social workers and foster care 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 services social worker and a foster care worker. Additionally, a protective services social worker has an average salary of $51,488, which is higher than the $46,037 average annual salary of a foster care worker.
The top three skills for a protective services social worker include social work, protective services and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a foster care worker are foster care, social work, and child abuse.
| Protective Services Social Worker | Foster Care Worker | |
| Yearly salary | $51,488 | $46,037 |
| Hourly rate | $24.75 | $22.13 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 94,975 | 151,625 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| 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 Foster Care Worker helps improve the social and psychological functioning of children and their families as well as increases the family's well-being and the academic functioning of children. They counsel families about issues regarding their child's care and develop healthy living situations.
Protective services social workers and foster care workers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Protective Services Social Worker | Foster Care Worker | |
| Average salary | $51,488 | $46,037 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $63,000 | Between $32,000 And $65,000 |
| Highest paying City | New Brunswick, NJ | Baltimore, MD |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Washington State University | Riverview Health |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Construction |
There are a few differences between a protective services social worker and a foster care worker in terms of educational background:
| Protective Services Social Worker | Foster Care Worker | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Social Work | Social Work |
| Most common college | Boston College | Boston University |
Here are the differences between protective services social workers' and foster care workers' demographics:
| Protective Services Social Worker | Foster Care Worker | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 18.6% Female, 81.4% | Male, 20.1% Female, 79.9% |
| 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% |