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The differences between traffic control specialists and specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a traffic control specialist, becoming a specialist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a specialist has an average salary of $58,013, which is higher than the $42,315 average annual salary of a traffic control specialist.
The top three skills for a traffic control specialist include air traffic control, airspace and AWP. The most important skills for a specialist are patients, customer service, and work ethic.
| Traffic Control Specialist | Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $42,315 | $58,013 |
| Hourly rate | $20.34 | $27.89 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 34,959 | 358,433 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
A traffic control specialist is in charge of managing and overseeing traffic conditions during roadworks, ensuring the safety of motorists and the smooth workflow of construction. Their responsibilities typically revolve around devising strategies to direct traffic, participating in installing and removing traffic control equipment such as barricades and cones, assisting motorists by providing alternative routes, and removing any road obstructions as needed. Moreover, as a traffic control specialist, it is essential to implement all the safety regulations and policies, maintaining a safe and productive work environment for everyone.
Specialists are employees who are responsible for specific tasks or activities in the department they are assigned to. The actions or tasks they work on are related to their educational background or work experiences. They are usually highly skilled in specializations related to the work they are assigned to. Specialists are also highly trained on the competencies that are required of their specialty. As such, they are focused on the skills and competencies that are needed to enhance their experience in their specific field further.
Traffic control specialists and specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Traffic Control Specialist | Specialist | |
| Average salary | $42,315 | $58,013 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $70,000 | Between $32,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fairbanks, AK | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Maine | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Serco | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between a traffic control specialist and a specialist in terms of educational background:
| Traffic Control Specialist | Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Aviation | Business |
| Most common college | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between traffic control specialists' and specialists' demographics:
| Traffic Control Specialist | Specialist | |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 71.2% Female, 28.8% | Male, 47.5% Female, 52.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 5.7% White, 58.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.6% | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 10.5% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 11% |