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The differences between instructional design specialists and 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 training specialist. Additionally, a training specialist has an average salary of $77,231, 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 training specialist are customer service, training programs, and training materials.
| Instructional Design Specialist | Training Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $54,282 | $77,231 |
| Hourly rate | $26.10 | $37.13 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 44,814 | 61,581 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| 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.
As the name entails, training specialists are the ones who design and perform training programs that will foster employees' workplace performance and align with the core values of an organization. They have varied responsibilities, including identifying employee training needs, preparing teaching plans and developing an annual training program, and turning requirements into training to aid employees in their career development. They are also responsible for implementing training courses, staying up-to-date on the new tools and trends in employee development, and evaluating existing programs periodically.
Instructional design specialists and training specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Instructional Design Specialist | Training Specialist | |
| Average salary | $54,282 | $77,231 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $74,000 | Between $53,000 And $110,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Dallas, TX |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Baker Hughes | CoreLogic |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Technology |
There are a few differences between an instructional design specialist and a training specialist in terms of educational background:
| Instructional Design Specialist | Training Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between instructional design specialists' and training specialists' demographics:
| Instructional Design Specialist | Training Specialist | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 41.4% Female, 58.6% | Male, 45.5% Female, 54.5% |
| 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, 11.2% Unknown, 6.6% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 6.6% White, 59.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 12% |