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The differences between proposal specialists and business developers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a business developer has an average salary of $101,635, which is higher than the $66,454 average annual salary of a proposal specialist.
The top three skills for a proposal specialist include powerpoint, RFP and sharepoint. The most important skills for a business developer are healthcare, CRM, and customer service.
| Proposal Specialist | Business Developer | |
| Yearly salary | $66,454 | $101,635 |
| Hourly rate | $31.95 | $48.86 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 25,141 | 193,469 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A proposal specialist is responsible for evaluating business contracts for clients, especially on landing partnerships and long-term projects. Proposal specialists review the contract's effectiveness and accuracy, adhering to the company's internal guidelines and policies. They ensure that the document delivers all the critical information of the company, as well as pricing offers and related terms of service. A proposal specialist also meets with the client to formally discuss contract details and respond to their inquiries, concerns, and requests.
A business developer specializes in conducting in-depth business analysis and crafting various strategies that would not just help a business grow, but also strengthen client base and brand awareness. One of their primary responsibilities revolves around identifying areas in need of improvement. They come up with new services that will boost customer satisfaction, examining the potential for revenue and figuring out new opportunities from trends or other pre-existing programs within the company. All of this is conducted according to the vision, mission, and policies of the organization.
Proposal specialists and business developers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Proposal Specialist | Business Developer | |
| Average salary | $66,454 | $101,635 |
| Salary range | Between $44,000 And $98,000 | Between $66,000 And $156,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | California |
| Best paying company | Ropes & Gray | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a proposal specialist and a business developer in terms of educational background:
| Proposal Specialist | Business Developer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between proposal specialists' and business developers' demographics:
| Proposal Specialist | Business Developer | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 31.5% Female, 68.5% | Male, 65.8% Female, 34.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 8.8% White, 70.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 8.8% White, 70.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |