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The differences between vocational specialists and community support specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a community support specialist has an average salary of $39,320, which is higher than the $37,486 average annual salary of a vocational specialist.
The top three skills for a vocational specialist include rehabilitation, social work and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a community support specialist are social work, mental health, and rehabilitation.
| Vocational Specialist | Community Support Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $37,486 | $39,320 |
| Hourly rate | $18.02 | $18.90 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 33,643 | 111,431 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Years of experience | - | 12 |
Vocational Specialists are responsible for assisting individuals in finding out their career choices. They interview clients to assess their skills, job history, and personality. Their duties include matching a client's education, training, interests, and experiences to an available job position. They organize aptitude tests to assist the client make career options. They also help with résumé preparation or modification, maintaining client records, arranging reports, and correspondence. Vocal Specialists give support for individuals in times of layoffs or job losses.
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.
Vocational specialists and community support specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Vocational Specialist | Community Support Specialist | |
| Average salary | $37,486 | $39,320 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $46,000 | Between $27,000 And $56,000 |
| Highest paying City | Pittsburg, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | New York State Restaurant Association | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a vocational specialist and a community support specialist in terms of educational background:
| Vocational Specialist | Community Support Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between vocational specialists' and community support specialists' demographics:
| Vocational Specialist | Community Support Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 31.7% Female, 68.3% | Male, 28.8% Female, 71.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 3.7% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | 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 | 11% | 11% |