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The differences between youth workers and child care counselors 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 worker and a child care counselor. Additionally, a child care counselor has an average salary of $36,843, which is higher than the $32,242 average annual salary of a youth worker.
The top three skills for a youth worker include direct supervision, CPR and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a child care counselor are CPR, child care, and behavioral issues.
| Youth Worker | Child Care Counselor | |
| Yearly salary | $32,242 | $36,843 |
| Hourly rate | $15.50 | $17.71 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 87,360 | 100,538 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Youth workers specialize in handling and providing support to young individuals with behavioral difficulties. They are primarily responsible for devising recreational projects, handling the budget, producing progress reports, managing intervention programs, and counseling troubled youth while keeping their information confidential. There may be instances where one must also search for opportunities and apply for funding or sponsorship. Furthermore, as a youth worker, it is vital to assess an individual's condition to determine their needs and ensure that they will receive the proper treatment.
Child care counselors monitor the progress of children who have behavioral, physical, and mental issues in between counseling appointments. These counselors create daily schedules for children that include field trips, play dates, and learning plans to ensure that children get the most out of their days. They use their critical thinking skills, organizational skills, and interpersonal skills to deal with children diagnosed with psychological issues and to coordinate with their patients' families. Most of the cases they handle are the abuse, bullying, and past traumas of children.
Youth workers and child care counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Youth Worker | Child Care Counselor | |
| Average salary | $32,242 | $36,843 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $40,000 | Between $28,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | Freehold, NJ | Chicago, IL |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Salt Lake County | Washington State University |
| Best paying industry | Education | Finance |
There are a few differences between a youth worker and a child care counselor in terms of educational background:
| Youth Worker | Child Care Counselor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Psychology |
| Most common college | SUNY at Albany | SUNY at Albany |
Here are the differences between youth workers' and child care counselors' demographics:
| Youth Worker | Child Care Counselor | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.6% Female, 57.4% | Male, 34.4% Female, 65.6% |
| 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% |