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The differences between contractor/consultants and associate consultants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a contractor/consultant has an average salary of $84,811, which is higher than the $73,340 average annual salary of an associate consultant.
The top three skills for a contractor/consultant include healthcare, post implementation and data analysis. The most important skills for an associate consultant are healthcare, customer service, and project management.
| Contractor/Consultant | Associate Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $84,811 | $73,340 |
| Hourly rate | $40.77 | $35.26 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 64,573 | 94,983 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
A contractor is a self-employed businessperson who agrees to work for a fixed price. His/her job involves the evaluation of clients' needs and actual performance of work. On the other hand, a consultant is a skilled independent businessperson who provides expert teaching and training in a specific market by assisting existing staff for the improvement of operations, problem-solving, and development of strategies. His/her role is to assess clients' needs and provide expert advice and opinion. However, both individuals are not employees, since they came from outside of the organization to perform such services.
An associate consultant is responsible for evaluating the project requirements based on clients' specifications, ensuring that the team meets project deliverables efficiently. Associate consultants test system applications and network infrastructure to recommend possible modifications for optimal performance and flawless navigation. They also identify cost-efficient business opportunities to gain more clients and improve overall project management procedures. An associate consultant may also facilitate training programs for the staff to maximize their productivity and hone their potential.
Contractor/consultants and associate consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Contractor/Consultant | Associate Consultant | |
| Average salary | $84,811 | $73,340 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $123,000 | Between $60,000 And $88,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Cerner | Practice Fusion |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a contractor/consultant and an associate consultant in terms of educational background:
| Contractor/Consultant | Associate Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between contractor/consultants' and associate consultants' demographics:
| Contractor/Consultant | Associate Consultant | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.2% Female, 33.8% | Male, 55.5% Female, 44.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 8.8% White, 70.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 7.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 14.3% White, 65.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 12% |