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The differences between psychiatric social workers and substance abuse 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 substance abuse counselor takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a psychiatric social worker has an average salary of $59,144, which is higher than the $43,069 average annual salary of a substance abuse counselor.
The top three skills for a psychiatric social worker include social work, patients and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a substance abuse counselor are patients, substance abuse treatment, and social work.
| Psychiatric Social Worker | Substance Abuse Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $59,144 | $43,069 |
| Hourly rate | $28.43 | $20.71 |
| Growth rate | 9% | - |
| Number of jobs | 57,284 | 78,643 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Average age | 45 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
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.
Substance abuse counselors act as a support system for people with drug and alcohol problems and other behavioral issues. They help the patients control their behavior until they achieve a full recovery. The mental health counselors aid patients to overcome their chemical dependencies and become self-sufficient individuals. Part of their duty includes meeting clients to evaluate their health and substance issues while creating goals and treatment plans. They teach clients coping mechanisms, refer them to support groups, and engage them in group therapy sessions. Once the patient is stable, they help them re-establish their careers and give updates and reports of progress to the courts. Requirements for the job include a master's degree in counseling and social work.
Psychiatric social workers and substance abuse counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Psychiatric Social Worker | Substance Abuse Counselor | |
| Average salary | $59,144 | $43,069 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $79,000 | Between $27,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Mateo, CA | Trenton, NJ |
| Highest paying state | California | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Highmark | Erlanger Health System |
| Best paying industry | Government | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a psychiatric social worker and a substance abuse counselor in terms of educational background:
| Psychiatric Social Worker | Substance Abuse Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| 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 substance abuse counselors' demographics:
| Psychiatric Social Worker | Substance Abuse Counselor | |
| Average age | 45 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.8% Female, 75.2% | Male, 34.3% Female, 65.7% |
| 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, 11.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 4.6% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 12% |