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The differences between instructional designers and curriculum 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 curriculum developer. Additionally, an instructional designer has an average salary of $57,534, which is higher than the $53,226 average annual salary of a curriculum developer.
The top three skills for an instructional designer include instructional design, subject matter experts and project management. The most important skills for a curriculum developer are instructional design, curriculum development, and training materials.
| Instructional Designer | Curriculum Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $57,534 | $53,226 |
| Hourly rate | $27.66 | $25.59 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 50,321 | 73,274 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| 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 curriculum developer is responsible for managing instructional materials, providing recommendations to the teachers, and making adjustments to the current student's curriculum to adhere to the highest educational standards and policies. Curriculum developers also facilitate and offer assistance for any implemented procedures. They also manage and address concerns regarding the learning standards and consider recommendations for curriculum improvement. A curriculum developer must have extensive knowledge of the education system to plan out the necessary teachers' training and coaching.
Instructional designers and curriculum developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Instructional Designer | Curriculum Developer | |
| Average salary | $57,534 | $53,226 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $79,000 | Between $36,000 And $78,000 |
| Highest paying City | Hartford, CT | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | ||
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between an instructional designer and a curriculum developer in terms of educational background:
| Instructional Designer | Curriculum Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Harvard University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between instructional designers' and curriculum developers' demographics:
| Instructional Designer | Curriculum Developer | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 41.8% Female, 58.2% | Male, 46.5% Female, 53.5% |
| 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, 10.6% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 5.5% White, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |