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The differences between subject matter experts and generalists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a subject matter expert, becoming a generalist takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a subject matter expert has an average salary of $103,749, which is higher than the $46,518 average annual salary of a generalist.
The top three skills for a subject matter expert include SME, project management and DOD. The most important skills for a generalist are sales floor, store sales, and customer loyalty.
| Subject Matter Expert | Generalist | |
| Yearly salary | $103,749 | $46,518 |
| Hourly rate | $49.88 | $22.36 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 58,235 | 8,585 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 44 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A subject matter expert is someone who has special knowledge and expertise about a specific process or service, providing advice to other team members or directly assisting customers with their inquiries and concerns. Subject matter experts coordinate on planning strategic procedures to improve the work processes and ensure customer satisfaction. They are also active in participating in learning programs and training sessions to share their knowledge and best practices for their specialization. Subject matter experts identify potential business opportunities to generate more revenues for the business and achieve its profitability goals.
A generalist, also known as a human resource generalist, is responsible for overseeing the operations in a human resource department, focusing on employees' welfare and working conditions. They are primarily involved in the hiring and laying off processes among employees, handing training and benefits programs, and coordinating with every department in the company. Furthermore, a generalist must perform administrative tasks that mostly revolve around producing reports and processing paperwork, conducting research and analysis, and responding to correspondence.
Subject matter experts and generalists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Subject Matter Expert | Generalist | |
| Average salary | $103,749 | $46,518 |
| Salary range | Between $73,000 And $146,000 | Between $29,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Finance |
There are a few differences between a subject matter expert and a generalist in terms of educational background:
| Subject Matter Expert | Generalist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between subject matter experts' and generalists' demographics:
| Subject Matter Expert | Generalist | |
| Average age | 44 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 63.8% Female, 36.2% | Male, 37.8% Female, 62.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 12.1% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 5.7% White, 70.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 18% |