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The differences between instructional design specialists and instructional designers 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 designer. Additionally, an instructional designer has an average salary of $57,534, which is higher than the $54,282 average annual salary of an instructional design specialist.
The top three skills for an instructional design specialist include instructional design, subject matter experts and powerpoint. The most important skills for an instructional designer are instructional design, subject matter experts, and project management.
| Instructional Design Specialist | Instructional Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $54,282 | $57,534 |
| Hourly rate | $26.10 | $27.66 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 44,814 | 50,321 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| 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.
An instructional designer focuses on devising learning materials and content to aid every students' learning difficulties. These can include videos, books, and presentations. They are primarily responsible for conducting thorough research and analysis to identify the needs of students, crafting learning strategies in collaboration with experts. They are also responsible for developing tools and materials to help assess every students' progress, such as quizzes and examinations. Furthermore, an instructional designer needs to coordinate with all personnel involved with the project to ensure accuracy and timeliness.
Instructional design specialists and instructional designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Instructional Design Specialist | Instructional Designer | |
| Average salary | $54,282 | $57,534 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $74,000 | Between $41,000 And $79,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Hartford, CT |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Baker Hughes | |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Technology |
There are a few differences between an instructional design specialist and an instructional designer in terms of educational background:
| Instructional Design Specialist | Instructional Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between instructional design specialists' and instructional designers' demographics:
| Instructional Design Specialist | Instructional Designer | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 41.4% Female, 58.6% | Male, 41.8% Female, 58.2% |
| 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, 9.9% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 5.5% White, 62.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |