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The differences between grant writers and proposal writers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a grant writer and a proposal writer. Additionally, a proposal writer has an average salary of $68,706, which is higher than the $52,719 average annual salary of a grant writer.
The top three skills for a grant writer include grants management, financial reports and proposal development. The most important skills for a proposal writer are subject matter experts, powerpoint, and business development.
| Grant Writer | Proposal Writer | |
| Yearly salary | $52,719 | $68,706 |
| Hourly rate | $25.35 | $33.03 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 16,708 | 18,125 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Often working for a non-profit organization, a grant writer specializes in writing application letters for financial grants to foundations, government agencies, and companies. Their responsibilities revolve around maintaining records of data and documentation, finding grant opportunities, participating in devising strategies that benefit the company's growth, crafting correspondence, gathering requirements, and submitting and monitoring grant proposals. Furthermore, a grant writer must have in-depth knowledge and understanding of the organization they work for, including its history, vision, mission, policies, and regulations.
Proposal Writers help clients win contracts, grants from the government, or even permission to perform a consulting service. They must ensure that all important information is included in the paperwork and documents.
Grant writers and proposal writers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Grant Writer | Proposal Writer | |
| Average salary | $52,719 | $68,706 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $73,000 | Between $48,000 And $97,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | Virginia |
| Best paying company | Apple | Precise Software Solutions |
| Best paying industry | Government | Insurance |
There are a few differences between a grant writer and a proposal writer in terms of educational background:
| Grant Writer | Proposal Writer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Business | English |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between grant writers' and proposal writers' demographics:
| Grant Writer | Proposal Writer | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 29.4% Female, 70.6% | Male, 38.5% Female, 61.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.7% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 8.8% White, 71.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 6.6% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 8.7% White, 71.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |