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The differences between instructional coordinators and program coordinators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an instructional coordinator, becoming a program coordinator takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, an instructional coordinator has an average salary of $48,344, which is higher than the $45,068 average annual salary of a program coordinator.
The top three skills for an instructional coordinator include curriculum development, instructional materials and student learning. The most important skills for a program coordinator are customer service, patients, and social work.
| Instructional Coordinator | Program Coordinator | |
| Yearly salary | $48,344 | $45,068 |
| Hourly rate | $23.24 | $21.67 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 25,255 | 102,464 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 44 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
Instructional coordinators, also called curriculum specialists, are responsible for developing, implementing, and assessing different instructional and educational material within the educational system. They work closely with the principal or school head to determine the effectiveness of materials, teaching methods, and techniques teachers use in following the school policies and guidelines. Also, they observe and evaluate their teachers and students, and they discuss the school's curriculum.
Program coordinators are mid-level employees who are assigned to work on a program of a specific department. They handle the communications between their department and any other department that they may need to collaborate with. They coordinate action plans and activities to ensure that the departments are aligned. They are present during the planning stage for the program so that they will be familiar with action items. They are directly involved in the implementation by liaising with the involved departments. Program coordinators should have good communication skills, interpersonal skills, and organization skills.
Instructional coordinators and program coordinators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Instructional Coordinator | Program Coordinator | |
| Average salary | $48,344 | $45,068 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $67,000 | Between $31,000 And $63,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Apple | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Education | Government |
There are a few differences between an instructional coordinator and a program coordinator in terms of educational background:
| Instructional Coordinator | Program Coordinator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between instructional coordinators' and program coordinators' demographics:
| Instructional Coordinator | Program Coordinator | |
| Average age | 44 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 40.6% Female, 59.4% | Male, 28.8% Female, 71.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 5.5% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 7.1% White, 54.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 11% |