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The differences between commercial specialists and business consultants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a commercial specialist and a business consultant. Additionally, a business consultant has an average salary of $87,214, which is higher than the $55,619 average annual salary of a commercial specialist.
The top three skills for a commercial specialist include customer service, portfolio and commercial loans. The most important skills for a business consultant are data analysis, project management, and strong analytical.
| Commercial Specialist | Business Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $55,619 | $87,214 |
| Hourly rate | $26.74 | $41.93 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 48,979 | 128,033 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Commercial specialists are professional analysts who assist their firms by developing marketing strategies, identifying business opportunities to provide data for reporting, planning, and executing trade events. These specialists investigate and write recommendations to match businesses and resolve sensitive trade complaints. Their list of responsibilities includes organizing events or meetings, supervising contractors, preparing promotional and briefing materials, and a lot more. When the events, products, and services are assigned, they follow up with their clients about them to determine their success accurately.
A business consultant is an individual who works directly with business owners on developing a business plan and identifying their marketing needs. Business consultants offer business owners a wide range of services, such as supplementing existing staff, provide expertise in a specific market, and influencing other people. To increase revenue in business, business consultants should have experience success with the previous business owners. Business consultants must also have a bachelor's degree in business management and received years of field training.
Commercial specialists and business consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Commercial Specialist | Business Consultant | |
| Average salary | $55,619 | $87,214 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $97,000 | Between $64,000 And $117,000 |
| Highest paying City | Menlo Park, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Bain & Company | ZS |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Technology |
There are a few differences between a commercial specialist and a business consultant in terms of educational background:
| Commercial Specialist | Business Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between commercial specialists' and business consultants' demographics:
| Commercial Specialist | Business Consultant | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.7% Female, 47.3% | Male, 62.8% Female, 37.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 9.8% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 13.4% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |