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The differences between youth development professionals and youth advocates 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 youth advocate. Additionally, a youth development professional has an average salary of $43,758, which is higher than the $33,924 average annual salary of a youth advocate.
The top three skills for a youth development professional include youth development, direct care and productive relationships. The most important skills for a youth advocate are mental health, social work, and foster care.
| Youth Development Professional | Youth Advocate | |
| Yearly salary | $43,758 | $33,924 |
| Hourly rate | $21.04 | $16.31 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 91,372 | 78,437 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| 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.
Youth advocates are individuals who responsible for maintaining the human rights of youth while assisting them in developing their skills in all areas of life, such as education, health, employment, and relationships. These advocates are required to discuss youth development and involvement with various leaders in the community. They must provide crisis interventions by performing one-on-one and group meetings with young adults. Youth advocates must also work with mental health professionals within the community so that they can guide teenagers with drug or alcohol problems and mental health issues.
Youth development professionals and youth advocates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Youth Development Professional | Youth Advocate | |
| Average salary | $43,758 | $33,924 |
| Salary range | Between $20,000 And $95,000 | Between $27,000 And $41,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jersey City, NJ | Syracuse, NY |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | MUFG EMEA | First Place for Youth |
| Best paying industry | - | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a youth development professional and a youth advocate in terms of educational background:
| Youth Development Professional | Youth Advocate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between youth development professionals' and youth advocates' demographics:
| Youth Development Professional | Youth Advocate | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 41.0% Female, 59.0% | Male, 38.6% Female, 61.4% |
| 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% |