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The differences between youth workers and youth care specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a youth worker, becoming a youth care specialist takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a youth care specialist has an average salary of $38,955, 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 care specialist are customer service, patients, and CPR.
| Youth Worker | Youth Care Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $32,242 | $38,955 |
| Hourly rate | $15.50 | $18.73 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 87,360 | 133,042 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
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 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 workers and youth care specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Youth Worker | Youth Care Specialist | |
| Average salary | $32,242 | $38,955 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $40,000 | Between $24,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | Freehold, NJ | Annapolis, MD |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Maryland |
| Best paying company | Salt Lake County | Delaware State Government |
| Best paying industry | Education | Government |
There are a few differences between a youth worker and a youth care specialist in terms of educational background:
| Youth Worker | Youth Care Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Psychology |
| Most common college | SUNY at Albany | SUNY at Binghamton |
Here are the differences between youth workers' and youth care specialists' demographics:
| Youth Worker | Youth Care Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.6% Female, 57.4% | Male, 37.4% Female, 62.6% |
| 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, 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 | 10% | 11% |