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The differences between account specialists and business development executives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become an account specialist, becoming a business development executive takes usually requires 8-10 years. Additionally, a business development executive has an average salary of $97,871, which is higher than the $42,586 average annual salary of an account specialist.
The top three skills for an account specialist include customer service, patients and account management. The most important skills for a business development executive are business development, digital transformation, and customer service.
| Account Specialist | Business Development Executive | |
| Yearly salary | $42,586 | $97,871 |
| Hourly rate | $20.47 | $47.05 |
| Growth rate | -8% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 116,010 | 189,950 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 46 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 10 |
An account specialist is responsible for reaching out to customers or potential clients through calls, emails, and other forms of correspondence to secure sales and strengthen business relations. An account specialist may also perform other tasks such as arranging appointment schedules with clients, providing price quotes and responding to further inquiries, process orders, generating sales leads, and handling complaints and resolving issues. Furthermore, an account specialist may also be involved in developing strategies, finding new opportunities, producing and completing necessary documents, and preparing reports, all in adherence to the company's policies and regulations.
A business development executive serves as a senior manager who drives company sales. Business development executives convince existing clients to buy more offerings and also source new clients. The focus of their job is on lead generation, prospect management, and customer acquisition. They collaborate with management in terms of sales objectives, planning, and prediction. The skills necessary for this job include customer service and relations, time management, strong written communication, and sales process experience.
Account specialists and business development executives have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Account Specialist | Business Development Executive | |
| Average salary | $42,586 | $97,871 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $62,000 | Between $64,000 And $149,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Phoenix, AZ |
| Highest paying state | Virginia | Arizona |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | Clifford Chance |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between an account specialist and a business development executive in terms of educational background:
| Account Specialist | Business Development Executive | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between account specialists' and business development executives' demographics:
| Account Specialist | Business Development Executive | |
| Average age | 46 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 32.2% Female, 67.8% | Male, 63.8% Female, 36.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.8% Asian, 3.7% White, 60.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 74.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 10% |