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Service aide vs human service specialist

The differences between service aides and human service specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a service aide and a human service specialist. Additionally, a human service specialist has an average salary of $49,025, which is higher than the $31,000 average annual salary of a service aide.

The top three skills for a service aide include patients, customer service and rehabilitation. The most important skills for a human service specialist are mental health, social work, and program eligibility.

Service aide vs human service specialist overview

Service AideHuman Service Specialist
Yearly salary$31,000$49,025
Hourly rate$14.90$23.57
Growth rate12%12%
Number of jobs50,229124,752
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 40%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age4343
Years of experience1212

What does a service aide do?

A family service aide is an individual social worker who addresses the behavior of clients as well as utilizes crisis intervention techniques in the effort to assist with symptom management and stabilization. Family service aides are required to monitor the progress of clients and prepare reports in preparation for court cases if needed. They must participate in community outreach events to recruit volunteers and promote awareness of child abuse. Family service aides must also conduct detailed investigations into allegations of child abuse and neglect.

What does a human service specialist do?

Human services specialists provide a range of social services with the purpose of improving the quality of life of people they serve. They can work for organizations, including housing associations, mental health facilities, rehabilitation centers, residential care homes, and food banks. Most of their duties involve interacting with people and conduct counseling. This job also requires active listening skills to comprehend your clients easily and understand their needs to provide care for people in difficult circumstances.

Service aide vs human service specialist salary

Service aides and human service specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Service AideHuman Service Specialist
Average salary$31,000$49,025
Salary rangeBetween $24,000 And $39,000Between $33,000 And $71,000
Highest paying CityHuntington Beach, CAOakland, CA
Highest paying stateHawaiiHawaii
Best paying companyCity of SeattleRegeneron
Best paying industryGovernmentGovernment

Differences between service aide and human service specialist education

There are a few differences between a service aide and a human service specialist in terms of educational background:

Service AideHuman Service Specialist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 40%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common majorBusinessPsychology
Most common collegeCalifornia State University - BakersfieldSUNY at Binghamton

Service aide vs human service specialist demographics

Here are the differences between service aides' and human service specialists' demographics:

Service AideHuman Service Specialist
Average age4343
Gender ratioMale, 34.7% Female, 65.3%Male, 22.5% Female, 77.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 21.2% Asian, 6.8% White, 52.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2%Black or African American, 15.1% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 6.9% White, 52.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1%
LGBT Percentage11%11%

Differences between service aide and human service specialist duties and responsibilities

Service aide example responsibilities.

  • Manage day-to-day operations including contract management, accounts payable, receivables, payroll and general administrative assistance.
  • Provide high-quality patient care as an in-demand HST within acute-care, rehabilitation, home-healthcare and nursing-home settings.
  • Process CalWorks, CalFresh, and Medi-Cal applications, renewals, and quarterly & semi-annual reports.
  • Assist employees in caring for dementia and Alzheimer's patients participate in daily activities and read to seniors.
  • Perform urinary catheter maintenance in an incontinent client.
  • Perform general maintenance to ensure cleanliness and safety of working environment.
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Human service specialist example responsibilities.

  • Manage the MSW staff and coordinate all social service and select patient service activities.
  • Establish effective liaisons with community agencies to ensure coordination of services to patients.
  • Developed/Implement a health education/risk reduction program for HIV/AIDS patients engaging in high-risk behaviors.
  • Help clients reach self-sufficiency by referring clients to employment and vocational rehabilitation agencies.
  • Work with employees of local drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers to determine eligibility for inpatients.
  • Assign as a provider enrollment specialist responsible for credentialing and enrolling new medical providers into the Medicaid provider network.
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Service aide vs human service specialist skills

Common service aide skills
  • Patients, 24%
  • Customer Service, 8%
  • Rehabilitation, 7%
  • Food Preparation, 6%
  • Patient Rooms, 6%
  • Culinary, 6%
Common human service specialist skills
  • Mental Health, 13%
  • Social Work, 11%
  • Program Eligibility, 6%
  • Medicaid, 5%
  • Social Services, 5%
  • Community Resources, 5%

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