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The differences between consultants and associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a consultant has an average salary of $78,912, which is higher than the $69,556 average annual salary of an associate.
The top three skills for a consultant include customer service, strong analytical and project management. The most important skills for an associate are customer service, sales floor, and patients.
| Consultant | Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $78,912 | $69,556 |
| Hourly rate | $37.94 | $33.44 |
| Growth rate | 11% | - |
| Number of jobs | 171,733 | 569,041 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
Consultants are individuals who were tapped by a company or an organization to work on a specific activity, depending on their field of expertise. They act as guides for the organization in undertaking projects that are related to their field. Consultants would usually assist organizations in planning, often giving advice when the need arises. They would, at times, take the lead in activities that involve data gathering and interpretation of data gathering results so that they can provide solid recommendations on actions that the organization may undertake. They may also guide the organization in implementing any changes brought about by their consultancy and in evaluating the effectiveness of the changes.
Associates are typically entry-level positions for employees who are taking on their first job or organizational role. They are assigned to teams or departments that are related to their skills or educational background. They usually start with smaller tasks that may not seem as impactful but are still essential to the department. Associates are trained by more tenured team members on the ins and outs of the department and the organization. As they grow with the organization, they are given more responsibilities that directly impact the results of the department's initiatives as they work towards their goals.
Consultants and associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Consultant | Associate | |
| Average salary | $78,912 | $69,556 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $107,000 | Between $34,000 And $140,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New York |
| Best paying company | L.E.K. Consulting | Simpson Thacher & Bartlett |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between a consultant and an associate in terms of educational background:
| Consultant | Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | - |
Here are the differences between consultants' and associates' demographics:
| Consultant | Associate | |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 58.4% Female, 41.6% | Male, 50.4% Female, 49.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 13.8% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 8.3% White, 57.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 7% |