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The differences between technical consultants and principal consultants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a principal consultant has an average salary of $116,478, which is higher than the $89,290 average annual salary of a technical consultant.
The top three skills for a technical consultant include java, database and customer service. The most important skills for a principal consultant are cloud, business development, and C #.
| Technical Consultant | Principal Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $89,290 | $116,478 |
| Hourly rate | $42.93 | $56.00 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 173,374 | 143,753 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | - |
A technical consultant is an individual who provides technical support and performs troubleshooting functions for the company's product or application. A consultant should be highly knowledgeable about the product or application so that he/she can assist users and clients with whatever issues they may be facing. A bachelor's degree is required to work as a technical consultant, particularly a degree in Computer Science or Engineering. Also, a consultant should conduct training sessions and therefore, must possess excellent communication skills.
A principal consultant is responsible for evaluating business' needs and opportunities, identifying potential leads to create project proposals, and maintaining strong business relationships that would generate revenues and increase the organization's profitability. Principal consultants must be up-to-date with the current market trends to ensure that the business adapts to the industry's changes. They also initiate new product development to expand its brand image, working closely with the marketing team for marketing strategies and promotions.
Technical consultants and principal consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Technical Consultant | Principal Consultant | |
| Average salary | $89,290 | $116,478 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $118,000 | Between $90,000 And $150,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Oregon |
| Best paying company | Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman | Pure Storage |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Finance |
There are a few differences between a technical consultant and a principal consultant in terms of educational background:
| Technical Consultant | Principal Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Western Carolina University |
Here are the differences between technical consultants' and principal consultants' demographics:
| Technical Consultant | Principal Consultant | |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.1% Female, 20.9% | Male, 75.8% Female, 24.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 15.3% White, 58.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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 | 8% | 11% |