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The differences between water resource specialists and water quality specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a water resource specialist has an average salary of $65,270, which is higher than the $53,609 average annual salary of a water quality specialist.
The top three skills for a water resource specialist include water resources, GIS and data entry. The most important skills for a water quality specialist are customer service, extraction, and water damage.
| Water Resource Specialist | Water Quality Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $65,270 | $53,609 |
| Hourly rate | $31.38 | $25.77 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 11,380 | 64,370 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A water resource specialist is tasked with implementing strategies to solve water resource issues like water quality, water supply, or regulatory compliance issues. They perform hydraulic, hydrologic, and water quality analysis and modeling. They are also tasked with creating proposals, informational brochures, and similar documents on water purification, demand, and supply. A university degree and efficient communication skills are both needed to excel in this field.
Typically working for government agencies, a water quality specialist is in charge of conducting studies to test the quality and environmental sources of water, identifying potential issues should there be any. Among their responsibilities include traveling to various areas with water access points, gathering samples for laboratory tests, performing site inspections, and maintaining records of procedures. Through the research and test findings, a water quality test specialist draws conclusions and alerts the authorities for any problems. Moreover, aside from government agencies, a water quality specialist may also work for other institutions and private companies.
Water resource specialists and water quality specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Water Resource Specialist | Water Quality Specialist | |
| Average salary | $65,270 | $53,609 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $103,000 | Between $35,000 And $80,000 |
| Highest paying City | White Plains, NY | Newark, DE |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Santa Clara Valley Water District | DC Water |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a water resource specialist and a water quality specialist in terms of educational background:
| Water Resource Specialist | Water Quality Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Business | Environmental Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between water resource specialists' and water quality specialists' demographics:
| Water Resource Specialist | Water Quality Specialist | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 68.0% Female, 32.0% | Male, 61.1% Female, 38.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.6% Unknown, 7.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 8.3% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 2.6% Unknown, 7.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 8.2% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |