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Social services assistant vs advising assistant

The differences between social services assistants and advising assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a social services assistant and an advising assistant. Additionally, an advising assistant has an average salary of $42,453, which is higher than the $37,445 average annual salary of a social services assistant.

The top three skills for a social services assistant include social work, patients and rehabilitation. The most important skills for an advising assistant are financial aid, customer service, and scheduling appointments.

Social services assistant vs advising assistant overview

Social Services AssistantAdvising Assistant
Yearly salary$37,445$42,453
Hourly rate$18.00$20.41
Growth rate12%12%
Number of jobs152,76015,603
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 57%Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age4343
Years of experience1212

What does a social services assistant do?

A social services assistant is responsible for supporting the social needs of citizens within society. Social services assistants work within the community office or health institutions to assist patients and their families in processing their needs and obtaining medical information. They also coordinate with other organizations to gather additional resources and financial assistance to plan community programs that will be beneficial for society. A social services assistant provides counseling to the families to identify the services and referrals they needed.

What does an advising assistant do?

An advising assistant works with school or university counselors, with a primary focus on students' mental welfare. Their responsibilities are to document sessions with patients, provide clerical assistance, and assist with psychological assessments. This position preferably requires a degree in psychology. Strong communication and organization skills are also necessary.

Social services assistant vs advising assistant salary

Social services assistants and advising assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Social Services AssistantAdvising Assistant
Average salary$37,445$42,453
Salary rangeBetween $29,000 And $47,000Between $26,000 And $69,000
Highest paying CityTacoma, WA-
Highest paying stateWashington-
Best paying companyResearch Foundation of The City University of New York-
Best paying industryGovernment-

Differences between social services assistant and advising assistant education

There are a few differences between a social services assistant and an advising assistant in terms of educational background:

Social Services AssistantAdvising Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 57%Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common majorSocial WorkBusiness
Most common collegeSUNY at BinghamtonNorthwestern University

Social services assistant vs advising assistant demographics

Here are the differences between social services assistants' and advising assistants' demographics:

Social Services AssistantAdvising Assistant
Average age4343
Gender ratioMale, 17.0% Female, 83.0%Male, 42.9% Female, 57.1%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.9% Asian, 6.7% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8%Black or African American, 13.7% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.6% Asian, 7.2% White, 51.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2%
LGBT Percentage11%11%

Differences between social services assistant and advising assistant duties and responsibilities

Social services assistant example responsibilities.

  • Initial triage of members, administrative intake of members and managing the admission/discharge information post-notification.
  • Assist individuals and families in need with applications for food stamps, Medicaid, Medicare, cash assistance and housing.
  • Develop, organize and conduct programs to prevent and resolve problems relevant to substance abuse, human relationships and rehabilitation.
  • Verify Medicare coverage/ benefits/ obtain prior authorization.
  • Process specialize Medicaid applications receive from government agencies and social service organizations which require urgent processing.
  • Establish, maintain and generate military and community contacts structure to address various services available to respective patients.
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Advising assistant example responsibilities.

  • Identify project priorities and work with senior account managers/team leads to identify most critical projects and communicate them with account coordinators.
  • Monitor and adjust parts inventory using ADP software.
  • Organize events, memorials and trips design to provide camaraderie between veterans and the community.
  • Monitor students' degree progress and GPA, perform needs assessment and maintain detailed computerize files.
  • Work to ensure accuracy of system data transfer and reconciliation of employment procedures with ADP system capabilities.
  • Prepare and help mentor and direct veteran students transitioning from active duty and reserve and veterans family members that share benefits.
  • Show more

Social services assistant vs advising assistant skills

Common social services assistant skills
  • Social Work, 17%
  • Patients, 15%
  • Rehabilitation, 9%
  • Discharge Planning, 6%
  • Term Care, 6%
  • Community Resources, 3%
Common advising assistant skills
  • Financial Aid, 15%
  • Customer Service, 13%
  • Scheduling Appointments, 10%
  • Administrative Tasks, 9%
  • Administrative Assistance, 8%
  • Repair Orders, 5%

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