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The differences between contract administrator/contract specialists and specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a contract administrator/contract specialist, becoming a specialist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a specialist has an average salary of $58,013, which is higher than the $53,425 average annual salary of a contract administrator/contract specialist.
The top three skills for a contract administrator/contract specialist include contract management, purchase orders and contract terms. The most important skills for a specialist are patients, customer service, and work ethic.
| Contract Administrator/Contract Specialist | Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $53,425 | $58,013 |
| Hourly rate | $25.69 | $27.89 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 61,764 | 358,433 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 48 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
A Contract Administrator and Contract Specialist reviews all contracts of the company. They are responsible for reviewing every contract if it is for the company's benefit and if there are hidden risks. This person also helps draft future contracts and inspects new contracts during deals and negotiations. Contract Specialists update existing contracts, propose amendments if necessary, and advise the company on contracts that have risks that may affect the activities of the company.
Specialists are employees who are responsible for specific tasks or activities in the department they are assigned to. The actions or tasks they work on are related to their educational background or work experiences. They are usually highly skilled in specializations related to the work they are assigned to. Specialists are also highly trained on the competencies that are required of their specialty. As such, they are focused on the skills and competencies that are needed to enhance their experience in their specific field further.
Contract administrator/contract specialists and specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Contract Administrator/Contract Specialist | Specialist | |
| Average salary | $53,425 | $58,013 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $79,000 | Between $32,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | Annapolis, MD | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Jacobs Engineering Group | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between a contract administrator/contract specialist and a specialist in terms of educational background:
| Contract Administrator/Contract Specialist | Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between contract administrator/contract specialists' and specialists' demographics:
| Contract Administrator/Contract Specialist | Specialist | |
| Average age | 48 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 30.0% Female, 70.0% | Male, 47.5% Female, 52.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 7.6% White, 66.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 10.5% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 11% |