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The differences between disability specialists and assessment specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a disability specialist, becoming an assessment specialist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an assessment specialist has an average salary of $64,402, which is higher than the $48,662 average annual salary of a disability specialist.
The top three skills for a disability specialist include social work, rehabilitation and developmental disabilities. The most important skills for an assessment specialist are social work, patients, and edition.
| Disability Specialist | Assessment Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $48,662 | $64,402 |
| Hourly rate | $23.40 | $30.96 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 24,669 | 90,625 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 43 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
A disability examiner is primarily in charge of conducting assessments and examinations to determine an applicant's eligibility for disability benefits and programs. Their duties usually include reviewing medical and health records, conducting interviews, and evaluating applications. There are also times when a disability examiner must directly coordinate with healthcare providers to obtain and assess records. Moreover, as a disability examiner, it is essential to assist clients by answering inquiries, providing instructions and advice, and helping them understand the extent of procedures.
An assessment specialist is an administrative professional who is responsible for designing and conducting assessment tests for a variety of academic clients. Assessment specialists are required to coordinate and implement the student testing program, which includes assessing an individual child's needs, potentials, and limitations. They must monitor special education or talent and gifted (TAG) staff to ensure that objectives are met. Assessment specialists must also need to know state laws and federal that pertain to educational assessments.
Disability specialists and assessment specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Disability Specialist | Assessment Specialist | |
| Average salary | $48,662 | $64,402 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $80,000 | Between $47,000 And $86,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Trenton, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Illinois | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Stanford University | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Government | Technology |
There are a few differences between a disability specialist and an assessment specialist in terms of educational background:
| Disability Specialist | Assessment Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Business | Psychology |
| Most common college | SUNY at Binghamton | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between disability specialists' and assessment specialists' demographics:
| Disability Specialist | Assessment Specialist | |
| Average age | 43 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 23.7% Female, 76.3% | Male, 31.6% Female, 68.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.6% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 6.8% White, 56.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7% | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 3.1% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 15% |