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The differences between consultants and project 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 consultant and a project consultant. Additionally, a project consultant has an average salary of $86,654, 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 project consultant are customer service, project management, and client facing.
| Consultant | Project Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $78,912 | $86,654 |
| Hourly rate | $37.94 | $41.66 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 171,733 | 113,013 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| 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 project consultant is responsible for communicating with the clients for their specific needs, develop strategic plans, and determine project resources to achieve their business goals and objectives. Project consultants are employed across various industries, offering their knowledge and expertise to facilitate clients' requests and propositions. They also collaborate with different development teams to discuss project parameters and analyze opportunities to improve plans and progress efficiency. A project consultant must have excellent communication and critical-thinking skills, responding to clients' inquiries and concerns, and providing recommendations to ensure successful project completion.
Consultants and project consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Consultant | Project Consultant | |
| Average salary | $78,912 | $86,654 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $107,000 | Between $59,000 And $126,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Newark, NJ |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | L.E.K. Consulting | Dell |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between a consultant and a project consultant in terms of educational background:
| Consultant | Project Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between consultants' and project consultants' demographics:
| Consultant | Project Consultant | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 58.4% Female, 41.6% | Male, 61.9% Female, 38.1% |
| 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, 7.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 8.5% Asian, 14.4% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |