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The differences between senior program specialists/program specialists and development specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a senior program specialist/program specialist, becoming a development specialist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a senior program specialist/program specialist has an average salary of $84,195, which is higher than the $60,344 average annual salary of a development specialist.
The top three skills for a senior program specialist/program specialist include project management, process improvement and powerpoint. The most important skills for a development specialist are customer service, customer satisfaction, and professional development.
| Senior Program Specialist/Program Specialist | Development Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $84,195 | $60,344 |
| Hourly rate | $40.48 | $29.01 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 95,580 | 97,188 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
A senior program specialist must have multi-dimensional skills to handle programs. They work under the supervision of a program leader, associate director, or senior program director. They conduct critical research, manage contracts, and identify possible partners. They also give training to junior specialists in their company.
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.
Senior program specialists/program specialists and development specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Program Specialist/Program Specialist | Development Specialist | |
| Average salary | $84,195 | $60,344 |
| Salary range | Between $57,000 And $123,000 | Between $37,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Mateo, CA | Edison, NJ |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Uber Technologies | Ropes & Gray |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | - |
There are a few differences between a senior program specialist/program specialist and a development specialist in terms of educational background:
| Senior Program Specialist/Program Specialist | Development Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between senior program specialists/program specialists' and development specialists' demographics:
| Senior Program Specialist/Program Specialist | Development Specialist | |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 37.7% Female, 62.3% | Male, 40.5% Female, 59.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 15.0% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.5% Asian, 7.1% White, 50.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2% | 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 | 11% | 12% |