Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between social services specialists and licensed social 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 social services specialist, becoming a licensed social worker takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a licensed social worker has an average salary of $57,005, which is higher than the $48,359 average annual salary of a social services specialist.
The top three skills for a social services specialist include social work, patients and substance abuse. The most important skills for a licensed social worker are social work, patients, and home health.
| Social Services Specialist | Licensed Social Worker | |
| Yearly salary | $48,359 | $57,005 |
| Hourly rate | $23.25 | $27.41 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 154,022 | 66,130 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 2 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 43 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
A Social Services Specialist provides social services to children and adults in communities, facilities, institutions, or hospitals. They develop and implement specialized treatment programs.
Licensed Social Workers are duly and legally recognized to carry out activities related to social work. They identify individuals or groups of people in need and assess what kind of help they require. They may assist these people in connecting to agencies that would cater to their needs. Licensed Social Workers also help people cope with their challenges. They are responsible for crafting treatment plans or well-being improvement plans for the individuals they help. They may also be called on during times of crisis to provide emotional support to the individuals involved.
Social services specialists and licensed social workers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Social Services Specialist | Licensed Social Worker | |
| Average salary | $48,359 | $57,005 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $65,000 | Between $41,000 And $78,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Sacramento, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Mexico | Alaska |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | Favorite Healthcare Staffing |
| Best paying industry | Insurance | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a social services specialist and a licensed social worker in terms of educational background:
| Social Services Specialist | Licensed Social Worker | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Social Work | Social Work |
| Most common college | California State University - Dominguez Hills | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between social services specialists' and licensed social workers' demographics:
| Social Services Specialist | Licensed Social Worker | |
| Average age | 43 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 21.5% Female, 78.5% | Male, 16.1% Female, 83.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.5% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 6.7% White, 57.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2% | Black or African American, 19.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 3.3% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 13% |