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The differences between catalog specialists and 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 catalog specialist, becoming a specialist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a specialist has an average salary of $58,013, which is higher than the $49,886 average annual salary of a catalog specialist.
The top three skills for a catalog specialist include OCLC, cataloging and product data. The most important skills for a specialist are patients, customer service, and work ethic.
| Catalog Specialist | Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $49,886 | $58,013 |
| Hourly rate | $23.98 | $27.89 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 37,092 | 358,433 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
A catalog specialist creates and organizes catalogs consisting of products and services while adhering to project standards and image specifications. They primarily conduct research and analyses, gather data from different departments, plan and develop catalog drafts, and update databases regularly, all while coordinating with internal and external parties such as vendors or suppliers. They also conduct reviews and quality checks, producing progress reports for managers regularly. Moreover, a catalog specialist usually works in a team setting, which requires a transparent communication line for an accurate and smooth workflow.
Specialists are employees who are responsible for specific tasks or activities in the department they are assigned to. The actions or tasks they work on are related to their educational background or work experiences. They are usually highly skilled in specializations related to the work they are assigned to. Specialists are also highly trained on the competencies that are required of their specialty. As such, they are focused on the skills and competencies that are needed to enhance their experience in their specific field further.
Catalog specialists and specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Catalog Specialist | Specialist | |
| Average salary | $49,886 | $58,013 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $82,000 | Between $32,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | - | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | - | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a catalog specialist and a specialist in terms of educational background:
| Catalog Specialist | Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between catalog specialists' and specialists' demographics:
| Catalog Specialist | Specialist | |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 49.7% Female, 50.3% | Male, 47.5% Female, 52.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 6.2% White, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 10.5% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 11% |