Social staff worker vs licensed social worker

The differences between social staff workers and licensed social workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a social staff worker, becoming a licensed social worker takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a social staff worker has an average salary of $57,877, which is higher than the $57,005 average annual salary of a licensed social worker.

The top three skills for a social staff worker include social work, home health and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a licensed social worker are social work, patients, and home health.

Social staff worker vs licensed social worker overview

	Social Staff Worker	Licensed Social Worker
Yearly salary	$57,877	$57,005
Hourly rate	$27.83	$27.41
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	112,494	66,130
Job satisfaction	-	2
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Average age	42	45
Years of experience	4	2

Social staff worker vs licensed social worker salary

Social staff workers and licensed social workers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Social Staff Worker	Licensed Social Worker
Average salary	$57,877	$57,005
Salary range	Between $42,000 And $78,000	Between $41,000 And $78,000
Highest paying City	-	Sacramento, CA
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Favorite Healthcare Staffing
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between social staff worker and licensed social worker education

There are a few differences between a social staff worker and a licensed social worker in terms of educational background:

	Social Staff Worker	Licensed Social Worker
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Most common major	Social Work	Social Work
Most common college	Boston College	University of Pennsylvania

Social staff worker vs licensed social worker demographics

Here are the differences between social staff workers' and licensed social workers' demographics:

	Social Staff Worker	Licensed Social Worker
Average age	42	45
Gender ratio	Male, 22.9% Female, 77.1%	Male, 16.1% Female, 83.9%
Race ratio	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%	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	10%	13%

Differences between social staff worker and licensed social worker duties and responsibilities

Social staff worker example responsibilities.

Screen, identify, diagnose using DSM nomenclature, treat and manage mental health and/or substance abuse problems.
Coordinate care with community providers for follow up if patient are discharged, prepare documentation for admission to inpatient psychiatry unit.
Determine eligibility for program, monitor and track program requirements, and review Medicaid eligibility.

Licensed social worker example responsibilities.

Foster self-determination of patients by evaluating for vocational rehabilitation that includes employment, volunteering, or education opportunities.
Evaluate and provide psychotherapy services to patients diagnose with serious and persistent mental illness and/or chemical dependency within an inpatient setting.
Provide clinical supervision to MSW students.
Supervise and train MSW students during their final concentration practicum.
Plan and facilitate trainings that address trauma exposure and the impact of compassion fatigue on administrative staff.
Provide medically relate social services to residents in a sub-acute, short term rehabilitation unit.

Social staff worker vs licensed social worker skills

Common social staff worker skills

Social Work, 36%
Home Health, 10%
Crisis Intervention, 7%
Patients, 7%
Discharge Planning, 6%
Family Therapy, 4%

Common licensed social worker skills

Social Work, 29%
Patients, 13%
Home Health, 11%
Rehabilitation, 5%
Substance Abuse, 5%
Crisis Intervention, 4%

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Social Staff Worker
Social Staff Worker vs Licensed Social Worker

Updated January 8, 2025

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