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The differences between contracts specialists and acquisition specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an acquisition specialist has an average salary of $65,906, which is higher than the $63,727 average annual salary of a contracts specialist.
The top three skills for a contracts specialist include veterans, DOD and contract administration. The most important skills for an acquisition specialist are program management, market research, and DOD.
| Contracts Specialist | Acquisition Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $63,727 | $65,906 |
| Hourly rate | $30.64 | $31.69 |
| Growth rate | -6% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 27,244 | 17,543 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 44 | 48 |
| Years of experience | - | 6 |
A contract specialist is responsible for evaluating contract agreements between the business and its clients. Contract specialists write beneficial deals that would develop good, professional working partnerships. They negotiate terms with clients, analyzing bid offers, review legislation processes and regulations, provide immediate resolution for breach of contracts, manage procurement proposals, and communicate with potential and existing clients for any amendments and clarifications. A contract specialist must have excellent communication and negotiation skills and broad knowledge of legal terminologies and contract styles.
An acquisition specialist is in charge of developing strategies to acquire goods and services on behalf of a company. Their responsibilities include coordinating with different departments to gather data, conducting extensive research and analysis to find cost-efficient materials and resources, liaising with external parties such as vendors and suppliers, negotiating contracts, and arranging payment plans. Furthermore, an acquisition specialist may also participate in a company's employment procedures and recruit potential employees in adherence to the company's vision and mission.
Contracts specialists and acquisition specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Contracts Specialist | Acquisition Specialist | |
| Average salary | $63,727 | $65,906 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $99,000 | Between $43,000 And $99,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Amazon | |
| Best paying industry | Government | Finance |
There are a few differences between a contracts specialist and an acquisition specialist in terms of educational background:
| Contracts Specialist | Acquisition Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between contracts specialists' and acquisition specialists' demographics:
| Contracts Specialist | Acquisition Specialist | |
| Average age | 44 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 40.2% Female, 59.8% | Male, 51.9% Female, 48.1% |
| 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, 9.3% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 7.6% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 7% |