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The differences between youth development professionals and school social workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a youth development professional and a school social worker. Additionally, a school social worker has an average salary of $54,856, which is higher than the $43,758 average annual salary of a youth development professional.
The top three skills for a youth development professional include youth development, direct care and productive relationships. The most important skills for a school social worker are social work, social emotional, and IEP.
| Youth Development Professional | School Social Worker | |
| Yearly salary | $43,758 | $54,856 |
| Hourly rate | $21.04 | $26.37 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 91,372 | 122,376 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Master's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Youth Development Professionals are specialists in implementing and overseeing programs to help adolescents discover their abilities and interests. They are responsible for coordinating career days and field trips, organizing mentorship sessions, create youth outreach projects, and assisting community organizations in youth provision development. Other duties include supporting the training of volunteer youth workers as well as ensuring service provided adheres to professional standards and current regulations. A Youth Development Professional may specialize in a specific development sector, such as healthy living, experiential learning, or public service.
A school social worker specializes in counseling students, families, and faculty members. They are responsible for coordinating with the school to develop programs that prioritize the students' emotional and psychological well-being, respond to any issues and concerns, build rapport to identify their needs, and communicate with support services to provide necessary assistance to any students or families. There are also instances when a school social worker must assist teachers in handling students with behavioral issues, investigating the underlying reasons. Moreover, it is crucial to identify any signs of neglect or abuse, conducting interventive measures right away.
Youth development professionals and school social workers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Youth Development Professional | School Social Worker | |
| Average salary | $43,758 | $54,856 |
| Salary range | Between $20,000 And $95,000 | Between $40,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jersey City, NJ | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Washington |
| Best paying company | MUFG EMEA | Boston Public Schools |
| Best paying industry | - | Education |
There are a few differences between a youth development professional and a school social worker in terms of educational background:
| Youth Development Professional | School Social Worker | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Master's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Social Work |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Boston College |
Here are the differences between youth development professionals' and school social workers' demographics:
| Youth Development Professional | School Social Worker | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 41.0% Female, 59.0% | Male, 17.5% Female, 82.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 2.7% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% | Black or African American, 13.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 2.7% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |