Social work case manager vs social work supervisor

The differences between social work case managers and social work supervisors 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 work case manager and a social work supervisor. Additionally, a social work supervisor has an average salary of $62,939, which is higher than the $45,321 average annual salary of a social work case manager.

The top three skills for a social work case manager include social work, patients and social services. The most important skills for a social work supervisor are social work, patients, and MSW.

Social work case manager vs social work supervisor overview

	Social Work Case Manager	Social Work Supervisor
Yearly salary	$45,321	$62,939
Hourly rate	$21.79	$30.26
Growth rate	12%	12%
Number of jobs	49,793	93,867
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Master's Degree, 48%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	12	12

What does a social work case manager do?

A Social Work Case Manager counsels groups or individuals in dealing with chronic illness, loss of a loved one, or substance abuse. They evaluate the needs of each individual client and maintain detailed records of their progress in the healing process.

What does a social work supervisor do?

Social work supervisors are licensed professionals who are responsible for providing administrative, clinical, and supportive supervision to inexperienced social workers. These supervisors are required to organize training to help their subordinates to develop their skills and promote career growth. They must respond to the conflicts occurring within the team and promote ethical behaviors among them as well as manage their schedules and expectations. Social work supervisors must also participate in research and studies which required opinion from social work organizations.

Social work case manager vs social work supervisor salary

Social work case managers and social work supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Social Work Case Manager	Social Work Supervisor
Average salary	$45,321	$62,939
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $61,000	Between $47,000 And $83,000
Highest paying City	San Leandro, CA	San Mateo, CA
Highest paying state	California	California
Best paying company	Tenet Healthcare	Chaplaincy Health Care
Best paying industry	Health Care	Government

Differences between social work case manager and social work supervisor education

There are a few differences between a social work case manager and a social work supervisor in terms of educational background:

	Social Work Case Manager	Social Work Supervisor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 55%	Master's Degree, 48%
Most common major	Social Work	Social Work
Most common college	California State University - Fullerton	California State University - Fullerton

Social work case manager vs social work supervisor demographics

Here are the differences between social work case managers' and social work supervisors' demographics:

	Social Work Case Manager	Social Work Supervisor
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 19.4% Female, 80.6%	Male, 23.4% Female, 76.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.9% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 6.4% White, 55.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1%	Black or African American, 12.9% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.2% Asian, 6.3% White, 54.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2%
LGBT Percentage	11%	11%

Differences between social work case manager and social work supervisor duties and responsibilities

Social work case manager example responsibilities.

Collaborate with partners including public and private agencies to achieve permanency for children.
Facilitate resource management by making appropriate referrals to community agencies that help patients remain safe and independent in their home environment.
Review inpatient hospital medical records using InterQual criteria to determine that patient admission meet quality and utilization standards.
Adhere to rules and regulations pertinent to inpatient rehabilitation as defined by Medicare/Medicaid and other licensing and accrediting organizations.
Coordinate and schedule in home physician visits and transportation arrangements for patients to receive medical services in hospitals and clinics.
Respond to high volume telephone and walk-in inquiries regarding long-term placement, government entitlements, rehabilitation, and services provide.

Social work supervisor example responsibilities.

Collaborate with partners including public and private agencies to achieve permanency for children.
Provide training and weekly supervision to MSW and BSW level staff in the traditional and therapeutic foster care programs.
Provide ongoing adjustment to illness support to patients and families through hospitalization, bereavement counseling, and crisis intervention.
Input data from assessments into the MDS system for submission to Medicare.
Spearhead hospital-wide projects, including roll out of new CMS regulations and forms.
Provide ongoing and current education regarding CMS issues like ABN process and implementation.

Social work case manager vs social work supervisor skills

Common social work case manager skills

Social Work, 38%
Patients, 20%
Social Services, 5%
Discharge Planning, 4%
Acute Care, 4%
Patient Care, 3%

Common social work supervisor skills

Social Work, 31%
Patients, 6%
MSW, 5%
Child Welfare, 5%
Social Services, 5%
Crisis Intervention, 4%

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Social Work Case Manager
Social Work Case Manager vs Social Work Supervisor

Updated January 8, 2025

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