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The differences between implementation consultants and application consultants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an implementation consultant, becoming an application consultant takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an application consultant has an average salary of $95,522, which is higher than the $80,195 average annual salary of an implementation consultant.
The top three skills for an implementation consultant include technical support, customer service and erp implementation. The most important skills for an application consultant are client facing, java, and CRM.
| Implementation Consultant | Application Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $80,195 | $95,522 |
| Hourly rate | $38.56 | $45.92 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 70,450 | 99,368 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 44 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
An implementation consultant is an individual who travels to various job sites to help clients with the installation of different software and hardware solutions. Implementation consultants must be knowledgeable of the software application so that they can conduct training sessions for internal and external customers. They develop system teaching aids such as training handbooks, demonstration models, and multimedia visual aids. Implementation consultants must also obtain technical certification, particularly on the specific software and hardware they install.
The job of an application consultant is to assist and support businesses and organizations in developing technological solutions. In this role, you will be looking at the specific needs and requirements of organizations and understand their business process so you can create systems or solutions that meet their needs. Other duties include overseeing and troubleshooting existing software applications, building and implementing new software applications and programs, and providing live technical support for end-users. As an application consultant, you will also be responsible for training both customers and staff on how to use the software application.
Implementation consultants and application consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Implementation Consultant | Application Consultant | |
| Average salary | $80,195 | $95,522 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $108,000 | Between $74,000 And $123,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | Washington |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | Autodesk |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Technology |
There are a few differences between an implementation consultant and an application consultant in terms of educational background:
| Implementation Consultant | Application Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 70% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between implementation consultants' and application consultants' demographics:
| Implementation Consultant | Application Consultant | |
| Average age | 44 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 53.8% Female, 46.2% | Male, 68.4% Female, 31.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 12.5% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 14.6% White, 58.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 8% |