Social worker vs school social worker

The differences between social workers and school social workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a social worker, becoming a school social worker takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a school social worker has an average salary of $54,856, 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 school social worker are social work, social emotional, and IEP.

Social worker vs school social worker overview

	Social Worker	School Social Worker
Yearly salary	$50,102	$54,856
Hourly rate	$24.09	$26.37
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	77,340	122,376
Job satisfaction	4.5	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Master's Degree, 51%
Average age	45	42
Years of experience	2	4

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 social worker do?

A school social worker specializes in counseling students, families, and faculty members. They are responsible for coordinating with the school to develop programs that prioritize the students' emotional and psychological well-being, respond to any issues and concerns, build rapport to identify their needs, and communicate with support services to provide necessary assistance to any students or families. There are also instances when a school social worker must assist teachers in handling students with behavioral issues, investigating the underlying reasons. Moreover, it is crucial to identify any signs of neglect or abuse, conducting interventive measures right away.

Social worker vs school social worker salary

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

	Social Worker	School Social Worker
Average salary	$50,102	$54,856
Salary range	Between $37,000 And $67,000	Between $40,000 And $73,000
Highest paying City	Portland, OR	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	Oregon	Washington
Best paying company	Health Advocates	Boston Public Schools
Best paying industry	Government	Education

Differences between social worker and school social worker education

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

	Social Worker	School 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	Boston College

Social worker vs school social worker demographics

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

	Social Worker	School Social Worker
Average age	45	42
Gender ratio	Male, 19.5% Female, 80.5%	Male, 17.5% Female, 82.5%
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, 13.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 2.7% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5%
LGBT Percentage	13%	10%

Differences between social worker and school 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.

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School social worker example responsibilities.

Case manage in-district and out-of-district students with emotional disabilities, autism, other health impair and physical disabilities.
Provide individual, group and family therapy to patients suffering from substance abuse/dependence.
Prepare APS reports as needed and present them to the state.
Prepare IEP's, set goals, and objectives consistent with CSE standards.
Train college interns, new employees, and volunteers on APS policies and procedures.
Design school-wide and individual PBIS programs and incentives; as well as compiled data relate to PBIS.

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Social worker vs school social worker skills

Common social worker skills

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

Common school social worker skills

Social Work, 26%
Social Emotional, 6%
IEP, 6%
Community Resources, 5%
Professional Development, 5%
Behavioral Issues, 4%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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