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The differences between consultants and solutions 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 solutions consultant. Additionally, a solutions consultant has an average salary of $94,839, 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 solutions consultant are pre sales, sales process, and cloud.
| Consultant | Solutions Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $78,912 | $94,839 |
| Hourly rate | $37.94 | $45.60 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 171,733 | 103,093 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| 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 solutions consultant is an individual who has an in-depth knowledge of technology that can help a company to overcome issues, increase sales, and have a better connection with their customers. Solutions consultants are responsible for heading the installment of customized software solutions and train dealers and customer sales engineers to administer the customized solution. They represent the company by attending tradeshows and events to demonstrate their company's technology. Solutions consultants must also ensure to demonstrate technical feasibility through beta tests plus trial programs.
Consultants and solutions consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Consultant | Solutions Consultant | |
| Average salary | $78,912 | $94,839 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $107,000 | Between $68,000 And $131,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Bruno, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | L.E.K. Consulting | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a consultant and a solutions consultant in terms of educational background:
| Consultant | Solutions Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between consultants' and solutions consultants' demographics:
| Consultant | Solutions Consultant | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 58.4% Female, 41.6% | Male, 69.1% Female, 30.9% |
| 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, 7.8% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 13.6% White, 65.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |