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The differences between clinical education specialists and clinical educators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a clinical education specialist and a clinical educator. Additionally, a clinical education specialist has an average salary of $75,695, which is higher than the $65,929 average annual salary of a clinical educator.
The top three skills for a clinical education specialist include clinical education, patients and patient care. The most important skills for a clinical educator are patients, patient care, and excellent interpersonal.
| Clinical Education Specialist | Clinical Educator | |
| Yearly salary | $75,695 | $65,929 |
| Hourly rate | $36.39 | $31.70 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 67,208 | 60,065 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A clinical education specialist is an individual who designs and administers continuing education programs for healthcare personnel to help them improve the delivery of patient care. Clinical education specialists are required to assess healthcare facilities to determine what type of education is needed and then design courses that will provide personnel with proper training and education. They must apply creative and innovative strategies in problem-solving to achieve the desired goals of the facility. Clinical education specialists must also maintain productive working relationships through mentoring and positive communication.
A clinical educator is primarily responsible for devising training programs for nurses and other health workers. They mostly coordinate with different departments and conduct skills assessments to determine areas that need improvement, develop various methods to make operations more manageable, and even organize certification programs. A clinical educator may also treat and handle patients, manage schedules, produce progress reports, and maintain an extensive record of all documentation. Moreover, as a clinical educator, it is essential to implement the medical facility's policies and regulations.
Clinical education specialists and clinical educators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Clinical Education Specialist | Clinical Educator | |
| Average salary | $75,695 | $65,929 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $97,000 | Between $44,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sacramento, CA | Norwich, CT |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Edwards Lifesciences | Boehringer Ingelheim |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a clinical education specialist and a clinical educator in terms of educational background:
| Clinical Education Specialist | Clinical Educator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Nursing |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Duke University |
Here are the differences between clinical education specialists' and clinical educators' demographics:
| Clinical Education Specialist | Clinical Educator | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.0% Female, 76.0% | Male, 19.4% Female, 80.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 10.1% Asian, 8.9% White, 65.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 9.0% White, 66.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |