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The differences between youth specialists and youth care 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 youth care specialist. Additionally, a youth care specialist has an average salary of $38,955, 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 youth care specialist are customer service, patients, and CPR.
| Youth Specialist | Youth Care Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $35,180 | $38,955 |
| Hourly rate | $16.91 | $18.73 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 71,303 | 133,042 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| 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.
Youth care specialists are social experts who coordinate programs for children and young people who need care while being away from their own families for some reason. These specialists are required to maintain a safe environment in the community so that children will feel safe, cared for, and nurture. They must lead various seminars for youths about topics such as job readiness, financial literacy, and higher education. They must also communicate the concerns and other important information to a child's assigned social worker and provide back-up support to case managers if needed.
Youth specialists and youth care specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Youth Specialist | Youth Care Specialist | |
| Average salary | $35,180 | $38,955 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $45,000 | Between $24,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Annapolis, MD |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Maryland |
| Best paying company | Outside In | Delaware State Government |
| Best paying industry | Government | Government |
There are a few differences between a youth specialist and a youth care specialist in terms of educational background:
| Youth Specialist | Youth Care Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Psychology |
| Most common college | SUNY at Binghamton | SUNY at Binghamton |
Here are the differences between youth specialists' and youth care specialists' demographics:
| Youth Specialist | Youth Care Specialist | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.3% Female, 57.7% | Male, 37.4% Female, 62.6% |
| 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, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 6.0% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |