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The differences between curriculum specialists and instructional design 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 curriculum specialist and an instructional design consultant. Additionally, an instructional design consultant has an average salary of $70,045, which is higher than the $50,949 average annual salary of a curriculum specialist.
The top three skills for a curriculum specialist include math, curriculum development and K-12. The most important skills for an instructional design consultant are instructional design, subject matter experts, and elearning.
| Curriculum Specialist | Instructional Design Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $50,949 | $70,045 |
| Hourly rate | $24.49 | $33.68 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 1,583 | 47,057 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
The primary job of curriculum specialists is to develop, assess, and improve curricula and instruction. They are responsible for guiding teachers on their teaching methods, conducting research and making recommendations for improvements, and evaluating existing curricula alongside teachers and administrators. A curriculum specialist is expected to assist in creating and revising instructional materials, analyzing student data, and evaluating and improving the utilization of classroom materials. You are also responsible for finding appropriate curricula and textbooks to improve the student body's learning outcomes.
An instructional design consultant is responsible for assisting, developing, and managing instructional material and plans with other professionals such as programmers, web developers, and teachers in IT. They usually collaborate, coordinate, and interact with the aforementioned professionals to develop a program design to enhance their expertise and learning experiences. Also, they must research electronic learning, run usability tests, find learning objectives for a particular project, and do a content development review and analysis.
Curriculum specialists and instructional design consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Curriculum Specialist | Instructional Design Consultant | |
| Average salary | $50,949 | $70,045 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $70,000 | Between $51,000 And $95,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | AARP | Qualtrics |
| Best paying industry | Education | Energy |
There are a few differences between a curriculum specialist and an instructional design consultant in terms of educational background:
| Curriculum Specialist | Instructional Design Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Elementary Education | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between curriculum specialists' and instructional design consultants' demographics:
| Curriculum Specialist | Instructional Design Consultant | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 22.9% Female, 77.1% | Male, 38.4% Female, 61.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 5.4% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 5.4% White, 62.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |