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The differences between disaster recovery managers and disaster recovery specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a disaster recovery manager and a disaster recovery specialist. Additionally, a disaster recovery manager has an average salary of $77,230, which is higher than the $64,394 average annual salary of a disaster recovery specialist.
The top three skills for a disaster recovery manager include infrastructure, business continuity and project management. The most important skills for a disaster recovery specialist are grants management, infrastructure, and business continuity.
| Disaster Recovery Manager | Disaster Recovery Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $77,230 | $64,394 |
| Hourly rate | $37.13 | $30.96 |
| Growth rate | 16% | - |
| Number of jobs | 3,002 | 9,907 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A disaster recovery manager oversees the procedures put into developing and implementing recovery and continuity plans against various kinds of disasters or security breaches that could affect company data, hardware, and software. They are primarily in charge of managing disaster recovery teams, setting objectives and guidelines, performing tests and risk assessments, and developing regular reports. Moreover, a disaster recovery manager can also be responsible for liaising with external parties and training new members of the workforce while implementing company standards and policies.
A disaster recovery specialist helps businesses protect software, hardware, and data from different kinds of disasters. They are primarily in charge of creating recovery and continuity plans, helping companies run smoothly and efficiently despite issues brought by the disasters. Their duties also include performing research and analyses, obtaining data from different departments, coordinating with fellow specialists, conducting systems tests and inspections, and utilizing research findings to develop plans and recommendations. Moreover, a disaster recovery specialist may also train staff and provide technical support as necessary.
Disaster recovery managers and disaster recovery specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Disaster Recovery Manager | Disaster Recovery Specialist | |
| Average salary | $77,230 | $64,394 |
| Salary range | Between $47,000 And $125,000 | Between $42,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | - |
| Highest paying state | - | - |
| Best paying company | - | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a disaster recovery manager and a disaster recovery specialist in terms of educational background:
| Disaster Recovery Manager | Disaster Recovery Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between disaster recovery managers' and disaster recovery specialists' demographics:
| Disaster Recovery Manager | Disaster Recovery Specialist | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 64.9% Female, 35.1% | Male, 64.9% Female, 35.1% |
| 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, 6.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 8.8% White, 70.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |