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The differences between youth specialists and developmental specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a youth specialist and a developmental specialist. Additionally, a developmental specialist has an average salary of $42,829, which is higher than the $35,180 average annual salary of a youth specialist.
The top three skills for a youth specialist include crisis intervention, direct care and mental health. The most important skills for a developmental specialist are social work, developmental disabilities, and autism.
| Youth Specialist | Developmental Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $35,180 | $42,829 |
| Hourly rate | $16.91 | $20.59 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 71,303 | 7,776 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A youth specialist's role is to oversee the safety and welfare of children and young adults, ensuring that they get the necessary support and guidance. Their responsibilities include performing initial assessments and interviews to identify needs, conducting home inspections and evaluations, providing essential advice, and spearheading programs and projects that cater to the disadvantaged youth. Furthermore, there are instances when a youth specialist may execute interventions or refer families to other services. Should there be any signs of neglect or abuse, it is essential to coordinate with the authorities right away.
A developmental specialist typically works in the human resources department. Your job involves training employees and encouraging their peers to participate. Other duties include evaluating the company's HR and training programs, identifying the best type of training to ensure employee and company success, and designing and developing employee discussions, simulations, and exercises. In addition, you are expected to network with prospective donors and look for new funding sources. You are also expected to promote the organization's cause or work through advertisements, soirees, and literature.
Youth specialists and developmental specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Youth Specialist | Developmental Specialist | |
| Average salary | $35,180 | $42,829 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $45,000 | Between $31,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Outside In | UMass Memorial Health |
| Best paying industry | Government | Professional |
There are a few differences between a youth specialist and a developmental specialist in terms of educational background:
| Youth Specialist | Developmental Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Psychology |
| Most common college | SUNY at Binghamton | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between youth specialists' and developmental specialists' demographics:
| Youth Specialist | Developmental Specialist | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.3% Female, 57.7% | Male, 19.1% Female, 80.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 6.4% White, 62.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.6% | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 7.0% White, 58.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |