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The differences between human factors specialists and specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a human factors specialist, becoming a specialist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a human factors specialist has an average salary of $80,877, which is higher than the $58,013 average annual salary of a specialist.
The top three skills for a human factors specialist include user research, user interface and industrial design. The most important skills for a specialist are patients, customer service, and work ethic.
| Human Factors Specialist | Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $80,877 | $58,013 |
| Hourly rate | $38.88 | $27.89 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 40,805 | 358,433 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
A human factors specialist may also be known as an ergonomist. They work with organizations that train staff, as well as with aeronautical engineers and civil aviation regulators. They are responsible for conducting studies, carrying out evaluations and tests, and researching important information about a product or service. They must be skilled in the art of studying human behavior in different contexts and apply that skill to design objects and facilities that better human well-being and overall system performance.
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.
Human factors specialists and specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Human Factors Specialist | Specialist | |
| Average salary | $80,877 | $58,013 |
| Salary range | Between $56,000 And $116,000 | Between $32,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Apple | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between a human factors specialist and a specialist in terms of educational background:
| Human Factors Specialist | Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between human factors specialists' and specialists' demographics:
| Human Factors Specialist | Specialist | |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.9% Female, 57.1% | Male, 47.5% Female, 52.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 9.1% White, 57.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | 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 | 9% | 11% |