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The differences between learning design specialists and training developers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a learning design specialist and a training developer. Additionally, a learning design specialist has an average salary of $72,967, which is higher than the $62,974 average annual salary of a training developer.
The top three skills for a learning design specialist include blended learning, instructional design and subject matter experts. The most important skills for a training developer are training materials, training development, and subject matter experts.
| Learning Design Specialist | Training Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $72,967 | $62,974 |
| Hourly rate | $35.08 | $30.28 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 68,913 | 108,369 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A learning design specialist is responsible for creating instructional materials according to the learner's curriculum and evaluate existing educational resources for further improvements needed. Learning design specialists facilitate the development of educational software tools and technology and coordinate with the educators for testing. They also attend conferences and train instructors in utilizing learning materials. A learning design specialist must have excellent communication skills, as well as extensive knowledge of the learning practices, to recommend teaching methods based on the curriculum's standards.
A training developer is responsible for organizing process training and development programs for the employees. Training developers coordinate with the management to identify training criteria and processes that would fit the company's goals and objectives. They create engaging content and learning materials, as well as assessing the employees' learning by conducting activities that will test their knowledge of the subject. A training developer should have excellent communication and organizational skills, ensuring efficient training methods within the management's budget requirements and specifications.
Learning design specialists and training developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Learning Design Specialist | Training Developer | |
| Average salary | $72,967 | $62,974 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $91,000 | Between $44,000 And $89,000 |
| Highest paying City | Olympia, WA | Arlington, VA |
| Highest paying state | Wyoming | Virginia |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | Tandem Diabetes Care |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Technology |
There are a few differences between a learning design specialist and a training developer in terms of educational background:
| Learning Design Specialist | Training Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between learning design specialists' and training developers' demographics:
| Learning Design Specialist | Training Developer | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.3% Female, 65.7% | Male, 56.6% Female, 43.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 6.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 5.9% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 6.5% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 6.3% White, 58.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |