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The differences between consultants and lawyers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a consultant and a lawyer. Additionally, a lawyer has an average salary of $115,808, which is higher than the $78,912 average annual salary of a consultant.
The top three skills for a consultant include customer service, strong analytical and project management. The most important skills for a lawyer are litigation, law firm, and legal issues.
| Consultant | Lawyer | |
| Yearly salary | $78,912 | $115,808 |
| Hourly rate | $37.94 | $55.68 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 171,733 | 2,897 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 44 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 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.
A lawyer is a legal practitioner who specializes in understanding and interpreting laws and other legal matters. Their responsibilities revolve around providing legal counseling and advice, representing clients in different kinds of court proceedings, conducting research, collecting evidence, and coordinating with various experts. A lawyer must also manage and oversee the performance of assistants, paralegals, and other team members. Furthermore, there are instances when a lawyer must draft or manage documents such as contracts, trusts, deeds, and wills, assisting clients as needed.
Consultants and lawyers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Consultant | Lawyer | |
| Average salary | $78,912 | $115,808 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $107,000 | Between $64,000 And $208,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New York |
| Best paying company | L.E.K. Consulting | Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between a consultant and a lawyer in terms of educational background:
| Consultant | Lawyer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Business | Law |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between consultants' and lawyers' demographics:
| Consultant | Lawyer | |
| Average age | 44 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 58.4% Female, 41.6% | Male, 48.5% Female, 51.5% |
| 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, 5.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 76.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 10% |