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The differences between school 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 school social worker and a foster care worker. Additionally, a school social worker has an average salary of $54,856, which is higher than the $46,037 average annual salary of a foster care worker.
The top three skills for a school social worker include social work, social emotional and IEP. The most important skills for a foster care worker are foster care, social work, and child abuse.
| School Social Worker | Foster Care Worker | |
| Yearly salary | $54,856 | $46,037 |
| Hourly rate | $26.37 | $22.13 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 122,376 | 151,625 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| 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 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.
School social workers and foster care workers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| School Social Worker | Foster Care Worker | |
| Average salary | $54,856 | $46,037 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $73,000 | Between $32,000 And $65,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Baltimore, MD |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Boston Public Schools | Riverview Health |
| Best paying industry | Education | Construction |
There are a few differences between a school social worker and a foster care worker in terms of educational background:
| School Social Worker | Foster Care Worker | |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Social Work | Social Work |
| Most common college | Boston College | Boston University |
Here are the differences between school social workers' and foster care workers' demographics:
| School Social Worker | Foster Care Worker | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 17.5% Female, 82.5% | 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% |