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The differences between youth workers 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 worker and a youth advocate. Additionally, a youth advocate has an average salary of $33,924, 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 youth advocate are mental health, social work, and foster care.
| Youth Worker | Youth Advocate | |
| Yearly salary | $32,242 | $33,924 |
| Hourly rate | $15.50 | $16.31 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 87,360 | 78,437 |
| 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.
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 workers and youth advocates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Youth Worker | Youth Advocate | |
| Average salary | $32,242 | $33,924 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $40,000 | Between $27,000 And $41,000 |
| Highest paying City | Freehold, NJ | Syracuse, NY |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Salt Lake County | First Place for Youth |
| Best paying industry | Education | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a youth worker and a youth advocate in terms of educational background:
| Youth Worker | Youth Advocate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Psychology |
| Most common college | SUNY at Albany | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between youth workers' and youth advocates' demographics:
| Youth Worker | Youth Advocate | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.6% Female, 57.4% | 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% |