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The differences between senior instructional designers and curriculum designers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a senior instructional designer and a curriculum designer. Additionally, a senior instructional designer has an average salary of $68,140, which is higher than the $54,176 average annual salary of a curriculum designer.
The top three skills for a senior instructional designer include instructional design, subject matter experts and project management. The most important skills for a curriculum designer are subject matter experts, course content, and project management.
| Senior Instructional Designer | Curriculum Designer | |
| Yearly salary | $68,140 | $54,176 |
| Hourly rate | $32.76 | $26.05 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 47,093 | 44,751 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A senior instructional designer specializes in developing instructional and educational materials for a specific group of individuals, including children and adults. Their duties involve working together with the clients in identifying project needs and requirements, collaborating with experts, conducting research and assessments, utilizing theories and other studies in developing instructional materials, and subjecting the materials into different inspections to ensure quality and accuracy. Additionally, a senior instructional designer must utilize their expertise and experience by training and supervising junior designers while implementing policies and regulations.
A curriculum designer creates and implements educational programs in schools, colleges, and other organizations that offer training and educational services. They usually work with teachers and academic administrators in establishing guidelines, academic roadmaps, and policies. A curriculum designer is also responsible for creating lesson plans and learning materials, conducting research and assessments, establishing curriculum timelines, and analyzing feedback from students, teachers, and administrators. They also monitor the students' academic progress to be able to make curriculum adjustments or changes when necessary.
Senior instructional designers and curriculum designers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Instructional Designer | Curriculum Designer | |
| Average salary | $68,140 | $54,176 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $93,000 | Between $38,000 And $76,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newtown, CT | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Algolia | Edelman Financial Engines |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Insurance |
There are a few differences between a senior instructional designer and a curriculum designer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Instructional Designer | Curriculum Designer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Business | Elementary Education |
| Most common college | Harvard University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between senior instructional designers' and curriculum designers' demographics:
| Senior Instructional Designer | Curriculum Designer | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.7% Female, 54.3% | Male, 36.9% Female, 63.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 5.5% White, 62.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 5.5% White, 62.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |