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The differences between desk clerks supervisors and therapeutic support staff 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 therapeutic support staff takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a therapeutic support staff has an average salary of $34,086, 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 therapeutic support staff are autism, social work, and rehabilitation.
| Support Staff | Therapeutic Support Staff | |
| Yearly salary | $31,772 | $34,086 |
| Hourly rate | $15.28 | $16.39 |
| Growth rate | 36% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 161,915 | 192,172 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| 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 therapeutic support staff member specializes in providing guidance and counseling to individuals with emotional support needs, mainly children. They are primarily responsible for building rapport with clients while assessing their different conditions and needs. Through this assessment, therapeutic support staff can develop specific treatments in collaboration with mental health practitioners. One may directly work with schools, clinics, and other medical health facilities. Furthermore, it is essential to maintain all clients' records and monitor their progress, regularly updating the assigned physician or caseworker.
Desk clerks supervisors and therapeutic support staff have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Support Staff | Therapeutic Support Staff | |
| Average salary | $31,772 | $34,086 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $40,000 | Between $27,000 And $42,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | - |
| Highest paying state | New York | - |
| Best paying company | Lakeland Electric | - |
| Best paying industry | Finance | - |
There are a few differences between a support staff and a therapeutic support staff in terms of educational background:
| Support Staff | Therapeutic Support Staff | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Business | Psychology |
| Most common college | Duke University | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between desk clerks supervisors' and therapeutic support staff' demographics:
| Support Staff | Therapeutic Support Staff | |
| Average age | 47 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 31.2% Female, 68.8% | Male, 25.4% Female, 74.6% |
| 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, 9.5% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 5.5% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 11% |