Personnel administrator vs human resources consultant

The differences between personnel administrators and human resources consultants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a personnel administrator and a human resources consultant. Additionally, a human resources consultant has an average salary of $71,882, which is higher than the $40,005 average annual salary of a personnel administrator.

The top three skills for a personnel administrator include word processing, life insurance and office equipment. The most important skills for a human resources consultant are performance management, shared services, and workforce planning.

Personnel administrator vs human resources consultant overview

	Personnel Administrator	Human Resources Consultant
Yearly salary	$40,005	$71,882
Hourly rate	$19.23	$34.56
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	51,272	52,761
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	6	6

What does a personnel administrator do?

Personnel administrators are professionals who are responsible for performing administrative duties related to maintaining personnel records and documents for an organization. These administrators are required to ensure accurate records of personnel files as well as efficient access by other staff members. They must maintain a relationship with the human resources and operations management to keep informed about the current and future hiring needs. Personnel administrators must also administer workers' compensation while establishing a safety counseling program to maintain morale among workers.

What does a human resources consultant do?

A human resources consultant is responsible for supporting the human resources management of an organization by advising on policies and procedures for effective employee relations. Human resources consultants analyze HR programs and current processes and initiate projects to maintain stable operations. They also facilitate strategic plans to resolve HR matters and improve culture management. A human resources consultant must be highly-knowledgeable of the human resources industry, its techniques, regulations, and disciplines to help with the implementation of business advancements and achieve the organization's objectives.

Personnel administrator vs human resources consultant salary

Personnel administrators and human resources consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Personnel Administrator	Human Resources Consultant
Average salary	$40,005	$71,882
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $53,000	Between $53,000 And $95,000
Highest paying City	-	Washington, DC
Highest paying state	-	New Jersey
Best paying company	-	Eli Lilly and Company
Best paying industry	-	Manufacturing

Differences between personnel administrator and human resources consultant education

There are a few differences between a personnel administrator and a human resources consultant in terms of educational background:

	Personnel Administrator	Human Resources Consultant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	Northwestern University	Northwestern University

Personnel administrator vs human resources consultant demographics

Here are the differences between personnel administrators' and human resources consultants' demographics:

	Personnel Administrator	Human Resources Consultant
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 39.8% Female, 60.2%	Male, 31.6% Female, 68.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 5.7% White, 70.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 5.7% White, 70.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	18%	18%

Differences between personnel administrator and human resources consultant duties and responsibilities

Personnel administrator example responsibilities.

Manage corporate affirmative action plan and enforce EEO policies/programs.
Establish operating policies and procedures and attain SNF Medicare certification.
Maintain FMLA documentation and records for employees.
Used spreadsheets, PowerPoint, or text documents.
Compile wages and deductions, and enter data into a HRIS.
Investigate and propose formal HRIS solution to ease ability of compliance and reporting.

Human resources consultant example responsibilities.

Manage AAP plan development, modification, implementation, and reporting requirements.
Advise management on disciplinary actions, compensation, performance management, FMLA issues, and daily policy and procedural interpretation.
Handle UN employment claims, safety meetings, and key OSHA information.
Prepare cross-check system to ensure compliance with OSHA, EEOC and ADA.
Develop payroll relations with ADP and provide application training.
Conduct orientations to managers and supervisors on EEO federal/local regulations.

Personnel administrator vs human resources consultant skills

Common personnel administrator skills

Word Processing, 19%
Life Insurance, 19%
Office Equipment, 19%
Photocopiers, 16%
Travel Arrangements, 14%
Human Resources, 2%

Common human resources consultant skills

Performance Management, 9%
Shared Services, 8%
Workforce Planning, 8%
Employee Engagement, 7%
Payroll, 6%
Customer Service, 4%

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Personnel Administrator
Personnel Administrator vs Human Resources Consultant

Updated January 8, 2025

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