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The differences between instructional designers and e-learning 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 designer and an e-learning designer. Additionally, an e-learning designer has an average salary of $65,312, 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 an e-learning designer are learning objectives, instructional design, and training programs.
| Instructional Designer | E-Learning Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $57,534 | $65,312 |
| Hourly rate | $27.66 | $31.40 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 50,321 | 51,006 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| 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.
An e-learning designer specializes in designing and establishing instructional materials and systems for effective online learning. Their responsibilities include performing research and analysis to identify curriculum or student needs, setting goals and objectives, liaising with other experts, and developing coursework and assessments, ensuring quality and accuracy. Furthermore, as an e-learning designer, it is essential to perform regular maintenance checks to ensure the quality of designs and systems, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations, including its vision and mission.
Instructional designers and e-learning designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Instructional Designer | E-Learning Designer | |
| Average salary | $57,534 | $65,312 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $79,000 | Between $47,000 And $90,000 |
| Highest paying City | Hartford, CT | - |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | - |
| Best paying company | - | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between an instructional designer and an e-learning designer in terms of educational background:
| Instructional Designer | E-Learning Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Most common major | Business | Drafting And Design |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Carnegie Mellon University |
Here are the differences between instructional designers' and e-learning designers' demographics:
| Instructional Designer | E-Learning Designer | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 41.8% Female, 58.2% | Male, 61.9% Female, 38.1% |
| 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, 9.0% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 17.3% Asian, 5.5% White, 63.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |