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The differences between instructional design specialists and senior training specialists 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 a senior training specialist. Additionally, a senior training specialist has an average salary of $78,852, 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 a senior training specialist are training programs, training materials, and customer service.
| Instructional Design Specialist | Senior Training Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $54,282 | $78,852 |
| Hourly rate | $26.10 | $37.91 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 44,814 | 43,627 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| 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.
Senior training specialists are responsible for providing support and assistance for educational activities at small businesses. They are responsible for managing and executing the educational course catalog and assisting staff and instructors in the development of courses and online modules. Other duties and responsibilities include identifying training needs, facilitating workshops, and providing recommendations for improvement of employees' performance. In addition, senior training specialists are expected to develop training programs that support customers, business partners, and sales teams. They are also expected to keep their knowledge up-to-date for the latest tools and trends in the market.
Instructional design specialists and senior training specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Instructional Design Specialist | Senior Training Specialist | |
| Average salary | $54,282 | $78,852 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $74,000 | Between $56,000 And $110,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Annapolis, MD |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Maryland |
| Best paying company | Baker Hughes | Intuitive Surgical |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Media |
There are a few differences between an instructional design specialist and a senior training specialist in terms of educational background:
| Instructional Design Specialist | Senior Training Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between instructional design specialists' and senior training specialists' demographics:
| Instructional Design Specialist | Senior Training Specialist | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 41.4% Female, 58.6% | Male, 59.0% Female, 41.0% |
| 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, 11.6% Unknown, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 6.2% White, 59.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 12% |