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The differences between instructional design specialists and instructional coordinators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an instructional design specialist and an instructional coordinator. Additionally, an instructional design specialist has an average salary of $54,282, which is higher than the $48,344 average annual salary of an instructional coordinator.
The top three skills for an instructional design specialist include instructional design, subject matter experts and powerpoint. The most important skills for an instructional coordinator are curriculum development, instructional materials, and student learning.
| Instructional Design Specialist | Instructional Coordinator | |
| Yearly salary | $54,282 | $48,344 |
| Hourly rate | $26.10 | $23.24 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 44,814 | 25,255 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An instructional design specialist is responsible for developing instructional materials mainly used for training and education. Among their responsibilities include identifying and understanding the program or project's needs, performing extensive research and analysis, consulting with experts, devising training and assessment plans, and ensuring that all instructional materials adhere to a program or project's objectives. Moreover, as an instructional design specialist, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with staff while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
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.
Instructional design specialists and instructional coordinators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Instructional Design Specialist | Instructional Coordinator | |
| Average salary | $54,282 | $48,344 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $74,000 | Between $34,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Baker Hughes | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Education |
There are a few differences between an instructional design specialist and an instructional coordinator in terms of educational background:
| Instructional Design Specialist | Instructional Coordinator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between instructional design specialists' and instructional coordinators' demographics:
| Instructional Design Specialist | Instructional Coordinator | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 41.4% Female, 58.6% | Male, 40.6% Female, 59.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 5.5% White, 61.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |