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The differences between programming specialists and activity specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a programming specialist, becoming an activity specialist takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a programming specialist has an average salary of $55,521, which is higher than the $32,860 average annual salary of an activity specialist.
The top three skills for a programming specialist include social work, customer service and veterans. The most important skills for an activity specialist are adaptive, patients, and mediation.
| Programming Specialist | Activity Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $55,521 | $32,860 |
| Hourly rate | $26.69 | $15.80 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 39,636 | 24,469 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Average age | 44 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
A programming specialist is responsible for the overall planning and supervising of programs, mostly in a non-profit organization. It is a programming specialist's job to allocate and manage the budget, hire staff, train volunteers, and ensure that goals are met. It is also their duty to devise strategies and come up with materials that would raise awareness for the program and its cause. Furthermore, a programming specialist is in charge of reaching out to people who will be a valuable asset for the program, such as speakers and educators.
An activity specialist is responsible for organizing events and planning activity outline for a social institution or a group of people. Activity specialists identify the activity requirements and goals, coordinate with suppliers and vendors for resources, and calculate costs and expenses within the budget limitations. They also finalize the participants' lists and pick the best grounds to set up an activity, ensuring the safety and security of the guests. An activity specialist must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in writing reports and creating clear expectations to discuss with the management.
Programming specialists and activity specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Programming Specialist | Activity Specialist | |
| Average salary | $55,521 | $32,860 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $86,000 | Between $24,000 And $44,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Credit Suisse |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Education |
There are a few differences between a programming specialist and an activity specialist in terms of educational background:
| Programming Specialist | Activity Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between programming specialists' and activity specialists' demographics:
| Programming Specialist | Activity Specialist | |
| Average age | 44 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 30.7% Female, 69.3% | Male, 38.7% Female, 61.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 6.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 5.9% White, 58.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 10.2% Asian, 3.3% White, 74.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 9% |