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The differences between school social workers and mental health consultants 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 consultant. Additionally, a school social worker has an average salary of $54,856, which is higher than the $51,006 average annual salary of a mental health consultant.
The top three skills for a school social worker include social work, social emotional and IEP. The most important skills for a mental health consultant are healthcare, substance abuse, and patients.
| School Social Worker | Mental Health Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $54,856 | $51,006 |
| Hourly rate | $26.37 | $24.52 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 122,376 | 127,233 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| 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 consultant is responsible for providing counseling and emotional support to manage a client's issue and control behaviors. Mental health consultants must have excellent communication and listening skills to understand and assess the client's situation and evaluate the level of their emotional and psychological distress. They also need to monitor progress on the client's state and use different psychotherapy methods and treatment plans. A mental health consultant should also reach out to other health professionals to ask assistance for any recovery options as needed.
School social workers and mental health consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| School Social Worker | Mental Health Consultant | |
| Average salary | $54,856 | $51,006 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $73,000 | Between $34,000 And $75,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Boston Public Schools | Guidehouse |
| Best paying industry | Education | Government |
There are a few differences between a school social worker and a mental health consultant in terms of educational background:
| School Social Worker | Mental Health Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Social Work | Psychology |
| Most common college | Boston College | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between school social workers' and mental health consultants' demographics:
| School Social Worker | Mental Health Consultant | |
| Average age | 42 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 17.5% Female, 82.5% | Male, 29.3% Female, 70.7% |
| 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% |