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The differences between disability specialists and 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 a specialist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a specialist has an average salary of $58,013, 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 a specialist are patients, customer service, and work ethic.
| Disability Specialist | Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $48,662 | $58,013 |
| Hourly rate | $23.40 | $27.89 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 24,669 | 358,433 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
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.
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.
Disability specialists and specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Disability Specialist | Specialist | |
| Average salary | $48,662 | $58,013 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $80,000 | Between $32,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Illinois | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Stanford University | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Government | - |
There are a few differences between a disability specialist and a specialist in terms of educational background:
| Disability Specialist | Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | SUNY at Binghamton | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between disability specialists' and specialists' demographics:
| Disability Specialist | Specialist | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 23.7% Female, 76.3% | Male, 47.5% Female, 52.5% |
| 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, 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 | 11% | 11% |