Service counselor vs case worker

The differences between service counselors and case workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a service counselor, becoming a case worker takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a case worker has an average salary of $41,459, which is higher than the $35,402 average annual salary of a service counselor.

The top three skills for a service counselor include social work, crisis intervention and patients. The most important skills for a case worker are social work, crisis intervention, and patients.

Service counselor vs case worker overview

	Service Counselor	Case Worker
Yearly salary	$35,402	$41,459
Hourly rate	$17.02	$19.93
Growth rate	12%	9%
Number of jobs	44,284	107,329
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age	43	42
Years of experience	12	4

What does a service counselor do?

Service counselors provide guidance to couples, individuals, groups, and families who are going through issues that influence their well-being and mental health. They comprehensively approach their clients by utilizing a "wellness" model that focuses on and motivate the client's potentials. Their duties include inspiring clients to talk about their emotions and experiences, helping them determine their action plans and goals, as well as designing therapeutic methods. Also, they may refer their clients to other services or psychologists.

What does a case worker do?

Caseworkers are social workers who watch over the welfare of underprivileged individuals and at-risk families by counseling and providing them with assistance. Usually employed under the government or a local non-profit organization, a caseworker must conduct a thorough interview and house visits to determine the needs of the family. They then refer them to any programs or agencies that can give them the specific care and help needed. Furthermore, it is crucial to identify neglect and abuse signs, reporting them to the authorities right away.

Service counselor vs case worker salary

Service counselors and case workers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Service Counselor	Case Worker
Average salary	$35,402	$41,459
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $51,000	Between $30,000 And $55,000
Highest paying City	Urban Honolulu, HI	New York, NY
Highest paying state	Hawaii	New Jersey
Best paying company	Google	Appalachian Regional Healthcare
Best paying industry	Education	Education

Differences between service counselor and case worker education

There are a few differences between a service counselor and a case worker in terms of educational background:

	Service Counselor	Case Worker
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	SUNY at Binghamton	University of Pennsylvania

Service counselor vs case worker demographics

Here are the differences between service counselors' and case workers' demographics:

	Service Counselor	Case Worker
Average age	43	42
Gender ratio	Male, 33.3% Female, 66.7%	Male, 26.8% Female, 73.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 19.7% Asian, 7.1% White, 54.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6%	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	11%	10%

Differences between service counselor and case worker duties and responsibilities

Service counselor example responsibilities.

Develop contracting strategy to build capacity and achieve ongoing compliance with Medicare and Medicaid provider network adequacy requirements.
Implement patient financial services department to assist patients and family members to ensure successful patient representation and expeditious benefit recovery.
Examine injured persons and administer first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, if necessary, using training and medical supplies and equipment.

Case worker example responsibilities.

Establish collaborative relationships with patients within a supportive atmosphere to assist in confronting drug relate behavior and achieving sobriety.
Review and research leads regarding personal injury cases by obtaining information from the Medicaid recipient's attorney and insurance adjuster
File, close and maintain records in either physical case file or on ETO.
Train new employees and assign tasks in driving and all responsibilities in DCS documentations.
Provide weekly face to face updates to youth and telephonic updates to family members/sponsor with documentation find in ETO.
Facilitate DCS court order supervised visitation during the reunification process.

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Service counselor vs case worker skills

Common service counselor skills

Social Work, 16%
Crisis Intervention, 9%
Patients, 7%
Support Services, 6%
Social Services, 6%
Rehabilitation, 6%

Common case worker skills

Social Work, 20%
Crisis Intervention, 8%
Patients, 7%
Substance Abuse, 6%
Community Resources, 6%
Child Abuse, 5%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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