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The differences between desk clerks supervisors and community support specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a support staff, becoming a community support specialist takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a community support specialist has an average salary of $39,320, which is higher than the $31,772 average annual salary of a support staff.
The top three skills for a support staff include customer service, developmental disabilities and mental health. The most important skills for a community support specialist are social work, mental health, and rehabilitation.
| Support Staff | Community Support Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $31,772 | $39,320 |
| Hourly rate | $15.28 | $18.90 |
| Growth rate | 36% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 161,915 | 111,431 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 47 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 12 |
School support staff provide specialized instructional and student support while utilizing school facilities. They often include diverse staff members whose main role is to ensure that students learn in a supportive and safe learning environment. It is also their duty to enhance school climate by promoting the involvement of parent and family in education as well as to encourage trusting, positive student relationships. They should inhibit positive behavior and send uplifting messages to students as they often connect with them throughout the day.
A community support specialist is responsible for supporting and providing care services for citizens with mental health conditions and other medical illnesses. Community support specialists coordinate with organizations and health institutions to generate resources that would help the patients in their daily activities, medications, and treatment plans. They also strategize community events and activities to observe the patients' social and personal behaviors and endorse them to a mental health professional for in-depth examination and counseling.
Desk clerks supervisors and community support specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Support Staff | Community Support Specialist | |
| Average salary | $31,772 | $39,320 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $40,000 | Between $27,000 And $56,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New York | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Lakeland Electric | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a support staff and a community support specialist in terms of educational background:
| Support Staff | Community Support Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Business | Psychology |
| Most common college | Duke University | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between desk clerks supervisors' and community support specialists' demographics:
| Support Staff | Community Support Specialist | |
| Average age | 47 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 31.2% Female, 68.8% | Male, 28.8% Female, 71.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 6.2% White, 62.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 12.6% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 7.0% White, 59.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 11% |