Special services supervisor vs unit supervisor

The differences between special services supervisors and unit supervisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a special services supervisor and a unit supervisor. Additionally, a special services supervisor has an average salary of $53,315, which is higher than the $48,749 average annual salary of a unit supervisor.

The top three skills for a special services supervisor include direct supervision, front end and customer service. The most important skills for a unit supervisor are patients, corrective action, and social work.

Special services supervisor vs unit supervisor overview

	Special Services Supervisor	Unit Supervisor
Yearly salary	$53,315	$48,749
Hourly rate	$25.63	$23.44
Growth rate	3%	6%
Number of jobs	79,124	37,120
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	6	6

Special services supervisor vs unit supervisor salary

Special services supervisors and unit supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Special Services Supervisor	Unit Supervisor
Average salary	$53,315	$48,749
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $86,000	Between $30,000 And $78,000
Highest paying City	-	Olympia, WA
Highest paying state	-	Washington
Best paying company	-	Berkshire Hathaway
Best paying industry	-	Hospitality

Differences between special services supervisor and unit supervisor education

There are a few differences between a special services supervisor and a unit supervisor in terms of educational background:

	Special Services Supervisor	Unit Supervisor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 55%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	California State University - Bakersfield	California State University - Bakersfield

Special services supervisor vs unit supervisor demographics

Here are the differences between special services supervisors' and unit supervisors' demographics:

	Special Services Supervisor	Unit Supervisor
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 44.1% Female, 55.9%	Male, 51.6% Female, 48.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 5.2% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 5.7% White, 60.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between special services supervisor and unit supervisor duties and responsibilities

Special services supervisor example responsibilities.

Manage crew by utilizing professional leadership skills.
Used exceptional interpersonal skills in assisting guests with questions regarding directions, dinner reservations, transportation and travel requests.
Schedule services for professionals and DIY customers

Unit supervisor example responsibilities.

Manage direct support professionals serving adult populations for persons with mental health, developmental disabilities and children with autism.
Document patient information and recording information correctly, as well as ensuring other workers are following OSHA and HIPAA requirements.
Attend weekly QA collaboration meetings and actively participate in discussions.
Utilize Kaizen activities to drive continuous process and quality improvements.
Submit MDS assessments to CMS timely and organize documentation for timely filing.
Evaluate admissions for Medicare/ Medicaid eligibility; prepare MDS and PPS documentation.

Special services supervisor vs unit supervisor skills

Common special services supervisor skills

Direct Supervision, 17%
Front End, 14%
Customer Service, 13%
IEP, 6%
CST, 5%
Customer Issues, 4%

Common unit supervisor skills

Patients, 11%
Corrective Action, 10%
Social Work, 8%
Oversight, 7%
Conflict Resolution, 6%
Direct Supervision, 6%

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Special Services Supervisor
Special Services Supervisor vs Unit Supervisor

Updated January 8, 2025

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