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The differences between information systems consultants and information systems specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an information systems consultant, becoming an information systems specialist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an information systems consultant has an average salary of $97,215, which is higher than the $73,495 average annual salary of an information systems specialist.
The top three skills for an information systems consultant include data analysis, cycle management and business process. The most important skills for an information systems specialist are customer service, data analysis, and data entry.
| Information Systems Consultant | Information Systems Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $97,215 | $73,495 |
| Hourly rate | $46.74 | $35.33 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 167,313 | 164,042 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
Information system consultants, sometimes known as information system analysts, design and manage an organization's information system. They have to develop policies and procedures for information systems. In most organizations, they play an advisory role on issues such as security, quality assurance, and system expansion. However, they also have to analyze computer system capability specifications, procedures, and issues with automating or upgrading existing systems.
An Information Systems Specialist is responsible for supporting and developing the database system of an organization. They are responsible for designing and implementing information systems, developing prototypes, and maintaining hardware and software operations. They build information security to protect the computer system against a threat. Information System Specialists must have good communication and analytical skills to adapt to different organizational needs.
Information systems consultants and information systems specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Systems Consultant | Information Systems Specialist | |
| Average salary | $97,215 | $73,495 |
| Salary range | Between $74,000 And $126,000 | Between $51,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | Woonsocket, RI | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Kentucky |
| Best paying company | Dell | |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an information systems consultant and an information systems specialist in terms of educational background:
| Information Systems Consultant | Information Systems Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between information systems consultants' and information systems specialists' demographics:
| Information Systems Consultant | Information Systems Specialist | |
| Average age | 43 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 74.0% Female, 26.0% | Male, 68.9% Female, 31.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 14.6% White, 59.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.8% Asian, 10.7% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 11% |