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The differences between acquisition specialists and recruiters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an acquisition specialist and a recruiter. Additionally, an acquisition specialist has an average salary of $65,906, which is higher than the $51,374 average annual salary of a recruiter.
The top three skills for an acquisition specialist include program management, market research and DOD. The most important skills for a recruiter are applicant tracking systems, customer service, and human resources.
| Acquisition Specialist | Recruiter | |
| Yearly salary | $65,906 | $51,374 |
| Hourly rate | $31.69 | $24.70 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 17,543 | 37,954 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 48 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
An acquisition specialist is in charge of developing strategies to acquire goods and services on behalf of a company. Their responsibilities include coordinating with different departments to gather data, conducting extensive research and analysis to find cost-efficient materials and resources, liaising with external parties such as vendors and suppliers, negotiating contracts, and arranging payment plans. Furthermore, an acquisition specialist may also participate in a company's employment procedures and recruit potential employees in adherence to the company's vision and mission.
Recruiters are responsible for filling up vacancies in the organization. They put up job postings on the company website and other recruitment websites, screen applicants, prospective schedule candidates for interviews, conduct initial interviews, and, should candidates pass the initial interview, endorse them to hiring managers. They act as guides to applicants throughout the whole application process. Upon successful screening and interviewing of applicants, recruiters then guide them through the employment process, usually endorsing them to medical exams and other pre-employment requirements needed. At times, recruiters are responsible for providing job offers to applicants. Recruiters should have a good judge of character, decision-making skills, and interpersonal skills.
Acquisition specialists and recruiters have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Acquisition Specialist | Recruiter | |
| Average salary | $65,906 | $51,374 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $99,000 | Between $35,000 And $74,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Amazon | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between an acquisition specialist and a recruiter in terms of educational background:
| Acquisition Specialist | Recruiter | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between acquisition specialists' and recruiters' demographics:
| Acquisition Specialist | Recruiter | |
| Average age | 48 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 51.9% Female, 48.1% | Male, 40.1% Female, 59.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 7.6% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 7.8% White, 56.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 9% |