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The differences between instructional designers and instructional coordinators 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 instructional coordinator. Additionally, an instructional designer has an average salary of $57,534, which is higher than the $48,344 average annual salary of an instructional coordinator.
The top three skills for an instructional designer include instructional design, subject matter experts and project management. The most important skills for an instructional coordinator are curriculum development, instructional materials, and student learning.
| Instructional Designer | Instructional Coordinator | |
| Yearly salary | $57,534 | $48,344 |
| Hourly rate | $27.66 | $23.24 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 50,321 | 25,255 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| 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.
Instructional coordinators, also called curriculum specialists, are responsible for developing, implementing, and assessing different instructional and educational material within the educational system. They work closely with the principal or school head to determine the effectiveness of materials, teaching methods, and techniques teachers use in following the school policies and guidelines. Also, they observe and evaluate their teachers and students, and they discuss the school's curriculum.
Instructional designers and instructional coordinators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Instructional Designer | Instructional Coordinator | |
| Average salary | $57,534 | $48,344 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $79,000 | Between $34,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | Hartford, CT | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Apple | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Education |
There are a few differences between an instructional designer and an instructional coordinator in terms of educational background:
| Instructional Designer | Instructional Coordinator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Harvard University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between instructional designers' and instructional coordinators' demographics:
| Instructional Designer | Instructional Coordinator | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 41.8% Female, 58.2% | Male, 40.6% Female, 59.4% |
| 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, 10.8% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 5.5% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |