Social worker vs school counselor

The differences between social workers and school counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a social worker has an average salary of $50,102, which is higher than the $49,904 average annual salary of a school counselor.

The top three skills for a social worker include social work, patients and patient care. The most important skills for a school counselor are mental health, community resources, and crisis intervention.

Social worker vs school counselor overview

	Social Worker	School Counselor
Yearly salary	$50,102	$49,904
Hourly rate	$24.09	$23.99
Growth rate	9%	10%
Number of jobs	77,340	91,275
Job satisfaction	4.5	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Average age	45	42
Years of experience	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 school counselor do?

A school counselor is responsible for monitoring the students' social and personal development, advising them of their career aspirations, and assisting them with their academic achievements and goals. School counselors also ensure that the students receive the highest learning standards to pave their way towards society's advancement and global competitiveness. They evaluate students' behavior through personal counseling, understanding their challenges, and develop strategies to overcome their needs. A school counselor must have excellent communication and decision-making skills, supporting students with their goals, and honing their skills efficiently.

Social worker vs school counselor salary

Social workers and school counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Social Worker	School Counselor
Average salary	$50,102	$49,904
Salary range	Between $37,000 And $67,000	Between $36,000 And $68,000
Highest paying City	Portland, OR	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Oregon	California
Best paying company	Health Advocates	The Gow School
Best paying industry	Government	Education

Differences between social worker and school counselor education

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

	Social Worker	School Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 48%
Most common major	Social Work	School Counseling
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Social worker vs school counselor demographics

Here are the differences between social workers' and school counselors' demographics:

	Social Worker	School Counselor
Average age	45	42
Gender ratio	Male, 19.5% Female, 80.5%	Male, 26.1% Female, 73.9%
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, 10.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 3.7% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	13%	11%

Differences between social worker and school counselor 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.

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School counselor example responsibilities.

Manage open houses, recruitment, and conduct interviews for GED student enrollment.
Travel to professional conferences and to visit colleges and universities across the country for professional development.
Attend educational meetings (IEP, IST, CCT, etc . )
Create and implement FBA's.
Complete CPR training and other necessary training classes.
Communicate with DCF in regards to students as needed

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Social worker vs school counselor skills

Common social worker skills

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

Common school counselor skills

Mental Health, 10%
Community Resources, 8%
Crisis Intervention, 6%
Professional Development, 5%
Behavioral Issues, 4%
CPR, 4%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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