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Service worker vs case worker

The differences between service workers 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 worker, 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 $30,045 average annual salary of a service worker.

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

Service worker vs case worker overview

Service WorkerCase Worker
Yearly salary$30,045$41,459
Hourly rate$14.44$19.93
Growth rate12%9%
Number of jobs103,584107,329
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 47%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age4342
Years of experience124

What does a service worker do?

A service worker is responsible for assisting the community welfare development by providing social services to an organization or specific individual groups, supporting their needs, and addressing their community concerns. Service workers also offer counseling services to their clients to guide them on how they manage their life crises, developing community activities and job opportunities to help citizens with their financial needs by consulting local organizations. A service worker must have strong leadership and communication skills, as well as deep engagement with the community to assess the client's situation properly.

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 worker vs case worker salary

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

Service WorkerCase Worker
Average salary$30,045$41,459
Salary rangeBetween $22,000 And $40,000Between $30,000 And $55,000
Highest paying CityBeaverton, ORNew York, NY
Highest paying stateAlaskaNew Jersey
Best paying companyMassachusetts General HospitalAppalachian Regional Healthcare
Best paying industryGovernmentEducation

Differences between service worker and case worker education

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

Service WorkerCase Worker
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 47%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common majorPsychologyPsychology
Most common collegeUniversity of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Pennsylvania

Service worker vs case worker demographics

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

Service WorkerCase Worker
Average age4342
Gender ratioMale, 38.8% Female, 61.2%Male, 26.8% Female, 73.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 13.6% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 6.9% White, 57.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%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 Percentage11%10%

Differences between service worker and case worker duties and responsibilities

Service worker example responsibilities.

  • Manage a caseload of over one hundr TANF cases.
  • Assist in managing inventory for student and staff culinary and scholastic supplies.
  • Receive specialized training on CPR, human rights and history of individuals with intellectual disabilities.
  • Implement HIPAA standards within the facility.
  • Copy patient medical records when request within HIPPA regulations.
  • Used scrubbers, mops, and seal and wax floors.
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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 worker vs case worker skills

Common service worker skills
  • Customer Service, 20%
  • Cleanliness, 10%
  • Patients, 7%
  • Rehabilitation, 7%
  • Excellent Interpersonal, 6%
  • Crisis Intervention, 5%
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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