Social worker vs psychiatric social worker

The differences between social workers and psychiatric social workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a social worker and a psychiatric social worker. Additionally, a psychiatric social worker has an average salary of $59,144, which is higher than the $50,102 average annual salary of a social worker.

The top three skills for a social worker include social work, patients and patient care. The most important skills for a psychiatric social worker are social work, patients, and crisis intervention.

Social worker vs psychiatric social worker overview

	Social Worker	Psychiatric Social Worker
Yearly salary	$50,102	$59,144
Hourly rate	$24.09	$28.43
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	77,340	57,284
Job satisfaction	4.5	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Master's Degree, 51%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	2	2

What does a social worker do?

Social workers help their clients get through problems that they may be facing. Social workers help identify individuals or groups of people, usually families, who may need assistance, generally through a set of pre-determined criteria. They then determine the best ways to help their clients by interviewing them, getting to know them, and understanding the context of their lives. They create plans that will help their clients become better, such as integrating into a new environment, assisting them in their needs, or even rescuing them from their current place. Social workers have good interpersonal skills and communication skills.

What does a psychiatric social worker do?

A psychiatric social worker specializes in providing mental health treatments and other services to patients and their families, referring them to other agencies and programs as needed. They conduct assessments and interviews to determine the condition of patients, devise specific treatment and care plans, update and maintain patient records, conduct regular counseling sessions, and monitor the progress of every patient to ensure their health and welfare. They may also provide interventions, train junior psychiatric social workers, and conduct reviews and evaluations on existing care plans.

Social worker vs psychiatric social worker salary

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

	Social Worker	Psychiatric Social Worker
Average salary	$50,102	$59,144
Salary range	Between $37,000 And $67,000	Between $43,000 And $79,000
Highest paying City	Portland, OR	San Mateo, CA
Highest paying state	Oregon	California
Best paying company	Health Advocates	Highmark
Best paying industry	Government	Government

Differences between social worker and psychiatric social worker education

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

	Social Worker	Psychiatric Social Worker
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Master's Degree, 51%
Most common major	Social Work	Social Work
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Social worker vs psychiatric social worker demographics

Here are the differences between social workers' and psychiatric social workers' demographics:

	Social Worker	Psychiatric Social Worker
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 19.5% Female, 80.5%	Male, 24.8% Female, 75.2%
Race ratio	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%	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	13%	13%

Differences between social worker and psychiatric social worker duties and responsibilities

Social worker example responsibilities.

Assist clients in achieving treatment goals such as anger, ADHD, grief, social skills, and manners.
Lead and co-le CBT and DBT skills-base groups with participants, as well as relapse prevention, mindfulness and process groups.
Support patient questions and issues regarding Medicare ESRD entitlement and Medicaid and assist in the completion of the appropriate documentation.
Coordinate IPU discharge planning patients to SNF, ALF, PCH or in-home care with necessary support for care.
Facilitate relationships with AKF and other patient assistance programs, VA, Medicare, Medicaid and other insurance providers.
Complete Medicaid and Medicare applications as needed.

Psychiatric social worker example responsibilities.

Screen, identify, diagnose using DSM nomenclature, treat and manage mental health and/or substance abuse problems.
Provide clinical supervision and oversight to MSW intern who provide assessments and treatment.
Participate in weekly hospital social services meetings, weekly individual supervision, and facilitate change strategies for patients.
Guide, mentore, and tutor both BSW and MSW students in internship programs.
Assist individual in developing and practicing the skills define on their psychiatric rehabilitation plans.
Follow patients throughout hospitalization, working closely with attending psychiatrist; involve in family, individual and group treatment.

Social worker vs psychiatric social worker skills

Common social worker skills

Social Work, 30%
Patients, 15%
Patient Care, 5%
MSW, 4%
Discharge Planning, 4%
Home Health, 4%

Common psychiatric social worker skills

Social Work, 23%
Patients, 16%
Crisis Intervention, 7%
Rehabilitation, 5%
Discharge Planning, 5%
Mental Health, 4%

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Social Worker vs Psychiatric Social Worker

Updated January 8, 2025

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