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The differences between psychiatric social workers and licensed social workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a psychiatric social worker and a licensed social worker. Additionally, a psychiatric social worker has an average salary of $59,144, which is higher than the $57,005 average annual salary of a licensed social worker.
The top three skills for a psychiatric social worker include social work, patients and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a licensed social worker are social work, patients, and home health.
| Psychiatric Social Worker | Licensed Social Worker | |
| Yearly salary | $59,144 | $57,005 |
| Hourly rate | $28.43 | $27.41 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 57,284 | 66,130 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 2 |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
Licensed Social Workers are duly and legally recognized to carry out activities related to social work. They identify individuals or groups of people in need and assess what kind of help they require. They may assist these people in connecting to agencies that would cater to their needs. Licensed Social Workers also help people cope with their challenges. They are responsible for crafting treatment plans or well-being improvement plans for the individuals they help. They may also be called on during times of crisis to provide emotional support to the individuals involved.
Psychiatric social workers and licensed social workers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Psychiatric Social Worker | Licensed Social Worker | |
| Average salary | $59,144 | $57,005 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $79,000 | Between $41,000 And $78,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Mateo, CA | Sacramento, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Highmark | Favorite Healthcare Staffing |
| Best paying industry | Government | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a psychiatric social worker and a licensed social worker in terms of educational background:
| Psychiatric Social Worker | Licensed Social Worker | |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Social Work | Social Work |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between psychiatric social workers' and licensed social workers' demographics:
| Psychiatric Social Worker | Licensed Social Worker | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.8% Female, 75.2% | Male, 16.1% Female, 83.9% |
| 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, 19.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 3.3% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 13% |