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The differences between professional development coordinators and development specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a professional development coordinator and a development specialist. Additionally, a professional development coordinator has an average salary of $77,943, which is higher than the $60,344 average annual salary of a development specialist.
The top three skills for a professional development coordinator include powerpoint, training programs and curriculum development. The most important skills for a development specialist are customer service, customer satisfaction, and professional development.
| Professional Development Coordinator | Development Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $77,943 | $60,344 |
| Hourly rate | $37.47 | $29.01 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 129,135 | 97,188 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A professional development coordinator spearheads activities that help professionals develop and meet their short and long-term career goals. It is their responsibility to meet with clients to identify and understand their needs and preferences, research ideal opportunities, facilitate training and workshops, and refer clients to other services when necessary. They may also perform clerical tasks such as preparing and processing documents, answering inquiries, and handling calls and correspondence. Moreover, they must manage staff while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
A development specialist is responsible for monitoring career training and programs for the employees, improving their capabilities and maximum potential to contribute to the company's growth and success. Development specialists also assist in assessing departmental operations, evaluating training needs, and facilitate skill development discussions and exercises. A development specialist helps identify business opportunities to generate more revenues for the organization and improve profitability status. A development specialist must have excellent communication and organization skills and comprehensive knowledge of human management to assist employees with their inquiries and concerns.
Professional development coordinators and development specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Professional Development Coordinator | Development Specialist | |
| Average salary | $77,943 | $60,344 |
| Salary range | Between $47,000 And $127,000 | Between $37,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jersey City, NJ | Edison, NJ |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Ropes & Gray | Ropes & Gray |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a professional development coordinator and a development specialist in terms of educational background:
| Professional Development Coordinator | Development Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between professional development coordinators' and development specialists' demographics:
| Professional Development Coordinator | Development Specialist | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 23.9% Female, 76.1% | Male, 40.5% Female, 59.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 6.1% White, 59.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 6.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 5.8% White, 60.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |