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The differences between school social workers and teachers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a school social worker has an average salary of $54,856, which is higher than the $47,989 average annual salary of a teacher.
The top three skills for a school social worker include social work, social emotional and IEP. The most important skills for a teacher are ESL, handle scheduling, and kids.
| School Social Worker | Teacher | |
| Yearly salary | $54,856 | $47,989 |
| Hourly rate | $26.37 | $23.07 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 122,376 | 71,918 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.14 |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 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.
Being a teacher is one of the most passionate professions, among others. Teachers educate, motivate, and guide every generation of learners to prepare them for the real world. Every teacher is unique and has their own teaching styles and methods depending on the subject they teach and the age of their students. Oftentimes they also function as a parent, counselor, coach, friend, and even a lawmaker. There is essentially no limit to the roles a teacher portrays.
School social workers and teachers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| School Social Worker | Teacher | |
| Average salary | $54,856 | $47,989 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $73,000 | Between $32,000 And $70,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Baltimore, MD |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Maryland |
| Best paying company | Boston Public Schools | King Low Heywood Thomas |
| Best paying industry | Education | Education |
There are a few differences between a school social worker and a teacher in terms of educational background:
| School Social Worker | Teacher | |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Social Work | Elementary Education |
| Most common college | Boston College | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between school social workers' and teachers' demographics:
| School Social Worker | Teacher | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 17.5% Female, 82.5% | Male, 25.7% Female, 74.3% |
| 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, 10.1% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 3.7% White, 68.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 9% |