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The differences between school 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 school social worker and a family therapist. Additionally, a school social worker has an average salary of $54,856, which is higher than the $50,774 average annual salary of a family therapist.
The top three skills for a school social worker include social work, social emotional and IEP. The most important skills for a family therapist are social work, patients, and rehabilitation.
| School Social Worker | Family Therapist | |
| Yearly salary | $54,856 | $50,774 |
| Hourly rate | $26.37 | $24.41 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 122,376 | 106,982 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A school social worker specializes in counseling students, families, and faculty members. They are responsible for coordinating with the school to develop programs that prioritize the students' emotional and psychological well-being, respond to any issues and concerns, build rapport to identify their needs, and communicate with support services to provide necessary assistance to any students or families. There are also instances when a school social worker must assist teachers in handling students with behavioral issues, investigating the underlying reasons. Moreover, it is crucial to identify any signs of neglect or abuse, conducting interventive measures right away.
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.
School social workers and family therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| School Social Worker | Family Therapist | |
| Average salary | $54,856 | $50,774 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $73,000 | Between $37,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Rochester, NY |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Oregon |
| Best paying company | Boston Public Schools | Dignity Health |
| Best paying industry | Education | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a school social worker and a family therapist in terms of educational background:
| School Social Worker | Family Therapist | |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 51% | 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 school social workers' and family therapists' demographics:
| School Social Worker | Family Therapist | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 17.5% Female, 82.5% | 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% |