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The differences between subject matter experts and project consultants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a subject matter expert and a project consultant. Additionally, a subject matter expert has an average salary of $103,749, which is higher than the $86,654 average annual salary of a project consultant.
The top three skills for a subject matter expert include SME, project management and DOD. The most important skills for a project consultant are customer service, project management, and client facing.
| Subject Matter Expert | Project Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $103,749 | $86,654 |
| Hourly rate | $49.88 | $41.66 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 58,235 | 113,013 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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 project consultant is responsible for communicating with the clients for their specific needs, develop strategic plans, and determine project resources to achieve their business goals and objectives. Project consultants are employed across various industries, offering their knowledge and expertise to facilitate clients' requests and propositions. They also collaborate with different development teams to discuss project parameters and analyze opportunities to improve plans and progress efficiency. A project consultant must have excellent communication and critical-thinking skills, responding to clients' inquiries and concerns, and providing recommendations to ensure successful project completion.
Subject matter experts and project consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Subject Matter Expert | Project Consultant | |
| Average salary | $103,749 | $86,654 |
| Salary range | Between $73,000 And $146,000 | Between $59,000 And $126,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Newark, NJ |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Apple | Dell |
| Best paying industry | Energy | - |
There are a few differences between a subject matter expert and a project consultant in terms of educational background:
| Subject Matter Expert | Project Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between subject matter experts' and project consultants' demographics:
| Subject Matter Expert | Project Consultant | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 63.8% Female, 36.2% | Male, 61.9% Female, 38.1% |
| 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, 7.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 8.5% Asian, 14.4% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |