Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between instructional systems specialists 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 systems specialist and a curriculum developer. Additionally, an instructional systems specialist has an average salary of $53,853, which is higher than the $53,226 average annual salary of a curriculum developer.
The top three skills for an instructional systems specialist include instructional materials, learning objectives and training programs. The most important skills for a curriculum developer are instructional design, curriculum development, and training materials.
| Instructional Systems Specialist | Curriculum Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $53,853 | $53,226 |
| Hourly rate | $25.89 | $25.59 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 65,859 | 73,274 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An instructional systems specialist is responsible for creating instructional materials and coordinating educational content. Typical duties include developing educational and training programs, developing cooperative and constructive working relationships with others, and developing plans and goals to organize and prioritize your work. As an instructional systems specialist, you will guide, direct, and motivate your subordinates and set performance standards. You are also expected to assist students in achieving their academic goals and provide technical expertise on the application and interpretation of automation training standards.
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 systems specialists and curriculum developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Instructional Systems Specialist | Curriculum Developer | |
| Average salary | $53,853 | $53,226 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $74,000 | Between $36,000 And $78,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Virginia | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Department of Homeland Security | |
| Best paying industry | Government | Technology |
There are a few differences between an instructional systems specialist and a curriculum developer in terms of educational background:
| Instructional Systems Specialist | Curriculum Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between instructional systems specialists' and curriculum developers' demographics:
| Instructional Systems Specialist | Curriculum Developer | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 54.0% Female, 46.0% | Male, 46.5% Female, 53.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.1% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 5.3% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | 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% |