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Learning specialist vs educator

The differences between learning specialists and educators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a learning specialist has an average salary of $57,035, which is higher than the $43,760 average annual salary of an educator.

The top three skills for a learning specialist include customer service, professional development and project management. The most important skills for an educator are customer service, product knowledge, and patients.

Learning specialist vs educator overview

Learning SpecialistEducator
Yearly salary$57,035$43,760
Hourly rate$27.42$21.04
Growth rate8%4%
Number of jobs38,22928,019
Job satisfaction5-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Average age4442
Years of experience4-

What does a learning specialist do?

Learning specialists are highly skilled teachers providing educational support to students who struggle academically at schools. They are responsible for working closely with students and their parents to develop a learning strategy suitable for a student's learning style to improve their grades and academic progress. Other responsibilities of a learning specialist include educating teachers and parents on learning differences, communicating with teachers and parents regularly about a student's progress, and keeping abreast of current teaching methods.

What does an educator do?

An educator is responsible for teaching students and contributes to their learning development. Duties of an educator include creating learning modules and materials, developing engaging activities, and facilitating learners' discussions. They are also in charge of monitoring the learners' progress, evaluating learners' knowledge by providing a series of assessments, helping a learner to gain self-confidence, and encouraging the learners to reach their maximum potential. An educator should have excellent communication and adaptation skills, especially on adjusting to different learning methods and approaches that the students will need.

Learning specialist vs educator salary

Learning specialists and educators have different pay scales, as shown below.

Learning SpecialistEducator
Average salary$57,035$43,760
Salary rangeBetween $37,000 And $87,000Between $29,000 And $65,000
Highest paying CityNewark, NJNew York, NY
Highest paying stateNew JerseyNew York
Best paying companyMetaGoogle
Best paying industryInsuranceEducation

Differences between learning specialist and educator education

There are a few differences between a learning specialist and an educator in terms of educational background:

Learning SpecialistEducator
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 59%Bachelor's Degree, 65%
Most common majorBusinessEducation
Most common collegeNorthwestern UniversityUniversity of Pennsylvania

Learning specialist vs educator demographics

Here are the differences between learning specialists' and educators' demographics:

Learning SpecialistEducator
Average age4442
Gender ratioMale, 32.8% Female, 67.2%Male, 28.9% Female, 71.1%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 6.5% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 6.3% White, 59.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.8% Asian, 3.7% White, 69.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage12%9%

Differences between learning specialist and educator duties and responsibilities

Learning specialist example responsibilities.

  • Lead strategic planning for eLearning initiatives and manage company-wide training for laboratory information system update.
  • Manage the integration of the student information system Jenzabar CX/JICS with Moodle.
  • Lead experiential learning in supervisory skills, conflict management, leadership, team building and organization process effectiveness.
  • Instruct on how to create PowerPoint presentations and debate an argument during an oral defense.
  • Develop individualized education plans for students who receive math intervention services.
  • Tutor and advise undergraduate level courses in introductory statistics and mathematics.
  • Show more

Educator example responsibilities.

  • Manage classroom behavior, oversee instruction for under-performing, over-achieving and ESL students, and lead private tutoring lessons.
  • Manage revolving caseload of students with IEP team including initials, transfer placements, manifestation determinations.
  • Develop curriculum and teach PC, GED and ABE adult education classes.
  • Involve in new employee orientation to the facility as well as teaching BLS and ACLS
  • Collaborate with math professionals in reinforcing concepts acquire within the student's primary learning environment.
  • Help meet WIC program participation goals.
  • Show more

Learning specialist vs educator skills

Common learning specialist skills
  • Customer Service, 9%
  • Professional Development, 6%
  • Project Management, 5%
  • Subject Matter Experts, 5%
  • PowerPoint, 4%
  • Instructional Design, 4%
Common educator skills
  • Customer Service, 20%
  • Product Knowledge, 10%
  • Patients, 8%
  • Classroom Management, 8%
  • Curriculum Development, 5%
  • Professional Development, 5%

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