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The differences between school social workers and mental health clinicians 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 mental health clinician. Additionally, a school social worker has an average salary of $54,856, which is higher than the $54,359 average annual salary of a mental health clinician.
The top three skills for a school social worker include social work, social emotional and IEP. The most important skills for a mental health clinician are social work, patients, and mental health.
| School Social Worker | Mental Health Clinician | |
| Yearly salary | $54,856 | $54,359 |
| Hourly rate | $26.37 | $26.13 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 122,376 | 91,347 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 51% | Master's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 42 | 45 |
| 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 Mental Health Clinician provides psychotherapeutic and rehabilitation services for patients with mental health problems. They manage the treatment of clients and help them to obtain stable physical health.
School social workers and mental health clinicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| School Social Worker | Mental Health Clinician | |
| Average salary | $54,856 | $54,359 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $73,000 | Between $36,000 And $80,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Boston Public Schools | City and County of Denver Government |
| Best paying industry | Education | Education |
There are a few differences between a school social worker and a mental health clinician in terms of educational background:
| School Social Worker | Mental Health Clinician | |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 51% | Master's Degree, 49% |
| 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 mental health clinicians' demographics:
| School Social Worker | Mental Health Clinician | |
| Average age | 42 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 17.5% Female, 82.5% | Male, 24.3% Female, 75.7% |
| 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, 7.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 3.1% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 15% |