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The differences between social services assistants and behavioral 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 a behavioral assistant. Additionally, a behavioral assistant has an average salary of $39,681, 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 a behavioral assistant are behavioral interventions, mental health, and patients.
| Social Services Assistant | Behavioral Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $37,445 | $39,681 |
| Hourly rate | $18.00 | $19.08 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 152,760 | 80,685 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
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.
Behavioral Assistants are responsible for providing support and capacity in behavioral and clinical services for students with disabilities. Their duties include addressing behavior management safety needs, supporting emotional and social needs, giving academic support, and implementing behavioral improvement plans. They also deal with physical management, behavior de-escalations, and undertake student reviews with the teacher regularly. Behavioral Assistants will also collect data, write student reports, and ensure health and hygiene protocols are adhered to.
Social services assistants and behavioral assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Social Services Assistant | Behavioral Assistant | |
| Average salary | $37,445 | $39,681 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $47,000 | Between $29,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | Tacoma, WA | Santa Maria, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Research Foundation of The City University of New York | Physician Affiliate Group of New York |
| Best paying industry | Government | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a social services assistant and a behavioral assistant in terms of educational background:
| Social Services Assistant | Behavioral Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Social Work | Psychology |
| Most common college | SUNY at Binghamton | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between social services assistants' and behavioral assistants' demographics:
| Social Services Assistant | Behavioral Assistant | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 17.0% Female, 83.0% | Male, 28.7% Female, 71.3% |
| Race ratio | Black 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, 12.2% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.6% Asian, 6.3% White, 53.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |