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As a previous poster said, they are both top-5 all-time Survivor players IMO.

Rob plays a more out-front game, makes big moves, and demands to be in absolute control at all times. He is not only very smart strategically, but also strong physically, a good provider/leader, and perhaps most importantly, incredibly charismatic to the point where he can convince people to do exactly what he wants to an extent that is well beyond their normal tendencies or even when doing so may be far from their best strategic move. I think Rob's biggest flaw is that he is so determined to be in total control at all times that he can create unnecessary volatility by making big moves that aren't 100% necessary. For example, in Marquesas he put such a big target on himself that he was first out at the merge... if he had laid back a little and seemed less threatening, he would have been around for the inevitable alliance flip at 9, and likely gone all the way to the end of the game. Even in Nicaragua, he really didn't need to weaken his tribe physically and alienate Andrea by voting out Matt, a strong challenge player who was loyal to him, just because he feared Matt & Andrea turning on him way down the line. This worked out for Rob, but it could have been a disaster if a couple of things outside of his direct control went differently (say Grant misses a couple of those buckets, for example). Rob is like an excellent loose-aggressive poker player who takes chances to build a big chip stack and then uses that stack very effectively as a weapon. Like the strong LAG player (think Gus Hansen), Rob lives on the edge with the accompanying risks, but his fearless style creates the potential for great results.

Yul is much more of a quiet leader and mediator/diplomat than Rob is. Yul forms alliances based on respect, trust, and friendship, and he makes sure everybody feels important and included; while Rob rules through a combination of charisma, fear, and both positive and negative reinforcement, Yul makes sure to remain on good terms with everybody and constantly builds and reinforces relationships, which he skillfully knows how to utilize in just the right ways at just the right times so he can achieve his goals. I don't think Yul is any less cunning or Machiavellian than Rob, but I think Yul feels that the best way (with the skill set he has been given) for him to succeed is to play a quieter game based on team bonding and cohesiveness, logical decision making, and the fruits of the respect and admiration he cultivates so expertly during the game. I think Yul's biggest weakness is that he lacks the overpowering charisma of players like Rob (and Russell), who are virtually forces of nature. If Yul was rightfully classified as a threat by such a player, they could potentially turn the majority against him before he had enough time to build the relationships that are the cornerstone of his game. When talking about Yul, I think it makes sense to also mention Earl, who played an incredibly similar game, with similar results. In my view, Yul and Earl played the two best "technical" Survivor games ever. Whether their technical skill would be enough to provide an edge over players like Rob, Russell, Parvati, and Brian Heidek, who are technically strong and also quite charismatic, is difficult to predict. If Rob is the Gus Hansen of Survivor, Yul is more like Allen Cunningham, a quiet, unassuming player who stays away from big risks and plays a game that is fairly conservative but also close to flawless.

As far as how Yul and Rob have used Survivor to enhance their real-world lives, I don't agree that Yul is somehow losing because he works a normal job. As a graduate of the most prestigious law school in the nation, Yul is working in an Obama administration position that I'm sure he feels is an opportunity to truly make a difference. If Yul wanted to invest in real estate and participate in reality shows, I'm sure he could. He could have very easily made $160K + bonuses/year coming right out of law school, and increased his salary each year, but he chose to clerk and work government lawyer jobs instead... when people make that sort of decision, they make it very specifically because they WANT to do it. Not everybody is determined not to work... some people find meaning in their jobs and like the feeling of working hard towards truly valuable achievements. And, if you haven't seen Yul's wife, she's absolutely beautiful. I think Rob also has a great life, and he's used Survivor and other reality shows expertly as a way to facilitate the sort of life he wanted. Rob and Yul seem to have different life priorities; watching them on Survivor, it wouldn't have been difficult to guess as much. They both appear to be very successful, intelligent people with wonderful "real-world" lives, and they are both also on the short list of all-time Survivor greats.