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Support worker vs group home worker

The differences between support workers and group home workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a group home worker has an average salary of $40,224, which is higher than the $37,039 average annual salary of a support worker.

The top three skills for a support worker include social work, crisis intervention and treatment plan. The most important skills for a group home worker are social work, crisis intervention, and data entry.

Support worker vs group home worker overview

Support WorkerGroup Home Worker
Yearly salary$37,039$40,224
Hourly rate$17.81$19.34
Growth rate12%36%
Number of jobs112,75488,906
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 55%Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Average age4750
Years of experience6-

What does a support worker do?

A support worker is responsible for supporting the community programs and development efforts to sustain and ensure the citizens' stability, providing them resources for their daily needs, and helping them with financial assistance requests. Support workers conduct family counseling to identify their challenges and needs and coordinate with the necessary organizations to process their requests. They must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in filing documents and guiding the citizens in achieving their healthy lifestyle and make a positive difference.

What does a group home worker do?

A group home worker is an employee who assists with different types of patients staying in group homes to help them develop life skills until they are ready to live independently. Group home workers must assist different types of patients, such as adults diagnosed with mental illness, seniors with disabilities, or young residents who cannot live with their families due to behavioral issues. They must monitor the behavior of residents, especially those with a troubled past.

Support worker vs group home worker salary

Support workers and group home workers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Support WorkerGroup Home Worker
Average salary$37,039$40,224
Salary rangeBetween $22,000 And $60,000Between $29,000 And $54,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NYFairbanks, AK
Highest paying stateNew YorkHawaii
Best paying companyDolby LaboratoriesTexas
Best paying industryManufacturingManufacturing

Differences between support worker and group home worker education

There are a few differences between a support worker and a group home worker in terms of educational background:

Support WorkerGroup Home Worker
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 55%Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Most common majorPsychologyPsychology
Most common collegeUniversity of Pennsylvania-

Support worker vs group home worker demographics

Here are the differences between support workers' and group home workers' demographics:

Support WorkerGroup Home Worker
Average age4750
Gender ratioMale, 29.1% Female, 70.9%Male, 26.8% Female, 73.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Asian, 6.4% White, 61.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%Black or African American, 24.0% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 23.4% Asian, 10.5% White, 35.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage8%5%

Differences between support worker and group home worker duties and responsibilities

Support worker example responsibilities.

  • Lead support groups with an emphasis on recovery and strength base techniques, DBT, CBT, self-care and coping skills.
  • Help children/youth in state custody achieve permanency whether through reintegration, adoption or custodianship.
  • Develop and implement work plans for TANF customers according to federal requirements.
  • Recognize risk factors quickly, collaborate with interdisciplinary team, nurture positive relationships with patients through consistency and modeling healthy boundaries.
  • Shop for groceries and assist consumer with preparing meals.
  • Compile and update medical information for each individual serve while following HIPPA protocol.
  • Show more

Group home worker example responsibilities.

  • Provide companionship, socialization and emotional support.
  • Provide transportation to medical appointments and transfer patients in and out of wheelchairs
  • Experience working with the elderly, Alzheimer's or dementia patients.
  • Maintain the living areas by cleaning, doing laundry, and shopping for groceries.
  • Plan meals, shopping for groceries, preparing and serving food/meals, feeding, and clean-up.
  • Assist and redirect clients with ADL skills, transport clients to daily activities, and focuse on documentation.
  • Show more

Support worker vs group home worker skills

Common support worker skills
  • Social Work, 18%
  • Crisis Intervention, 7%
  • Treatment Plan, 7%
  • Social Services, 6%
  • Substance Abuse, 5%
  • Foster Care, 5%
Common group home worker skills
  • Social Work, 31%
  • Crisis Intervention, 20%
  • Data Entry, 12%
  • Meal Prep, 7%
  • CPR, 5%
  • Independent Living, 5%

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