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The differences between instructional systems designers and systems designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an instructional systems designer, becoming a systems designer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a systems designer has an average salary of $93,438, which is higher than the $65,907 average annual salary of an instructional systems designer.
The top three skills for an instructional systems designer include subject matter experts, instructional design and smes. The most important skills for a systems designer are system design, CRM, and sales proposals.
| Instructional Systems Designer | Systems Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $65,907 | $93,438 |
| Hourly rate | $31.69 | $44.92 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 104,993 | 101,665 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
An instructional systems designer specializes in developing training solutions in adherence to the objectives of a program or project. Their responsibilities include identifying the needs of projects and programs, performing extensive research and analysis, gathering and analyzing existing systems' data to identify their strengths and weaknesses, studying feedback from various parties, and developing test structures. Moreover, an instructional systems designer must maintain an active communication line with the instructional systems team, coordinating while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.
In the information technology industry, a systems designer specializes in creating systems in adherence to the client or company's needs. Their responsibilities include performing research and analysis, gathering and analyzing operational data and client feedback, subjecting designs in a variety of tests, coordinating with engineers, troubleshooting problems, and developing strategies to optimize operations. They may also assess existing systems and design enhancements as needed. Moreover, a systems designer may provide technical support and guidance to staff while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.
Instructional systems designers and systems designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Instructional Systems Designer | Systems Designer | |
| Average salary | $65,907 | $93,438 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $93,000 | Between $69,000 And $125,000 |
| Highest paying City | Baltimore, MD | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Washington |
| Best paying company | Parsons | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Health Care |
There are a few differences between an instructional systems designer and a systems designer in terms of educational background:
| Instructional Systems Designer | Systems Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Business | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between instructional systems designers' and systems designers' demographics:
| Instructional Systems Designer | Systems Designer | |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 64.6% Female, 35.4% | Male, 85.7% Female, 14.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.4% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 5.3% White, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 16.5% White, 67.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 5% |