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The differences between human resources consultants and senior human resources 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 human resources consultant and a senior human resources specialist. Additionally, a human resources consultant has an average salary of $71,882, which is higher than the $63,956 average annual salary of a senior human resources specialist.
The top three skills for a human resources consultant include performance management, shared services and workforce planning. The most important skills for a senior human resources specialist are payroll, customer service, and HRIS.
| Human Resources Consultant | Senior Human Resources Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $71,882 | $63,956 |
| Hourly rate | $34.56 | $30.75 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 52,761 | 46,316 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 47 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A human resources consultant is responsible for supporting the human resources management of an organization by advising on policies and procedures for effective employee relations. Human resources consultants analyze HR programs and current processes and initiate projects to maintain stable operations. They also facilitate strategic plans to resolve HR matters and improve culture management. A human resources consultant must be highly-knowledgeable of the human resources industry, its techniques, regulations, and disciplines to help with the implementation of business advancements and achieve the organization's objectives.
A senior human resources specialist is responsible for monitoring the human resources operations of an organization, managing employment processes and policies, and handling staffing needs and concerns. Senior human resources specialists design training and programs to maintain staff's efficiency and maximize the employees' productivity to support business functional operations. They also coordinate with management leaders to identify their hiring needs, evaluating their specifications for recruitment. A senior human resources specialist reviews the company's policies and guidelines regularly, adjusting procedures according to state regulations and business requirements.
Human resources consultants and senior human resources specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Human Resources Consultant | Senior Human Resources Specialist | |
| Average salary | $71,882 | $63,956 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $95,000 | Between $45,000 And $89,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New York |
| Best paying company | Eli Lilly and Company | Edwards Lifesciences |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Finance |
There are a few differences between a human resources consultant and a senior human resources specialist in terms of educational background:
| Human Resources Consultant | Senior Human Resources Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between human resources consultants' and senior human resources specialists' demographics:
| Human Resources Consultant | Senior Human Resources Specialist | |
| Average age | 47 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 31.6% Female, 68.4% | Male, 24.7% Female, 75.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 5.7% White, 70.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.8% Asian, 7.7% White, 57.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 18% | 9% |