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The differences between psychiatric social workers and crisis counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a psychiatric social worker, becoming a crisis counselor takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a psychiatric social worker has an average salary of $59,144, which is higher than the $51,142 average annual salary of a crisis counselor.
The top three skills for a psychiatric social worker include social work, patients and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a crisis counselor are social work, patients, and mental health crisis.
| Psychiatric Social Worker | Crisis Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $59,144 | $51,142 |
| Hourly rate | $28.43 | $24.59 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 57,284 | 76,255 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
A psychiatric social worker specializes in providing mental health treatments and other services to patients and their families, referring them to other agencies and programs as needed. They conduct assessments and interviews to determine the condition of patients, devise specific treatment and care plans, update and maintain patient records, conduct regular counseling sessions, and monitor the progress of every patient to ensure their health and welfare. They may also provide interventions, train junior psychiatric social workers, and conduct reviews and evaluations on existing care plans.
A crisis counselor is responsible for providing assistance and emotional support to clients under crises or mental health emergencies caused by stress, trauma, grief, and other factors. Most crisis counselors work at clinics or counseling centers, and there are instances where they can be at schools and organizations. Aside from diagnosing and providing specific treatments, a crisis counselor must also build rapport with clients, helping them feel comfortable every step of the way, and serving as a positive influence in their journey to recovery.
Psychiatric social workers and crisis counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Psychiatric Social Worker | Crisis Counselor | |
| Average salary | $59,144 | $51,142 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $79,000 | Between $37,000 And $69,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Mateo, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | California | - |
| Best paying company | Highmark | - |
| Best paying industry | Government | - |
There are a few differences between a psychiatric social worker and a crisis counselor in terms of educational background:
| Psychiatric Social Worker | Crisis Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Social Work | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between psychiatric social workers' and crisis counselors' demographics:
| Psychiatric Social Worker | Crisis Counselor | |
| Average age | 45 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.8% Female, 75.2% | Male, 22.9% Female, 77.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 19.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 3.3% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 3.2% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 15% |