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The differences between instructional designers and content developers 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 designer and a content developer. Additionally, a content developer has an average salary of $72,030, which is higher than the $57,534 average annual salary of an instructional designer.
The top three skills for an instructional designer include instructional design, subject matter experts and project management. The most important skills for a content developer are content development, digital marketing, and subject matter experts.
| Instructional Designer | Content Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $57,534 | $72,030 |
| Hourly rate | $27.66 | $34.63 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 13% |
| Number of jobs | 50,321 | 82,250 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 44 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
A content developer is responsible for creating digital content, designing technical deliverables, and developing content strategies by analyzing current market trends to attract clients, driving more revenues, and increasing the company's profitability. Content developers also manage the distribution of the contents, following the clients' specifications or the business requirements. They also coordinate with other project teams to ensure the effectiveness and accuracy of the contents, focusing on its appeal to the target audience. A content developer must have a keen eye for details, especially on doing quality content checks before publishing.
Instructional designers and content developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Instructional Designer | Content Developer | |
| Average salary | $57,534 | $72,030 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $79,000 | Between $51,000 And $101,000 |
| Highest paying City | Hartford, CT | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | California |
| Best paying company | ||
| Best paying industry | Technology | Internet |
There are a few differences between an instructional designer and a content developer in terms of educational background:
| Instructional Designer | Content Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Business | English |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between instructional designers' and content developers' demographics:
| Instructional Designer | Content Developer | |
| Average age | 44 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 41.8% Female, 58.2% | Male, 51.3% Female, 48.7% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 6.7% Hispanic or Latino, 13.1% Asian, 12.9% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 9% |