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The differences between assistive technology specialists and application specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an assistive technology specialist and an application specialist. Additionally, an application specialist has an average salary of $84,635, which is higher than the $52,611 average annual salary of an assistive technology specialist.
The top three skills for an assistive technology specialist include rehabilitation, adaptive and technical support. The most important skills for an application specialist are customer service, customer satisfaction, and technical support.
| Assistive Technology Specialist | Application Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $52,611 | $84,635 |
| Hourly rate | $25.29 | $40.69 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 121,308 | 96,980 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
An Assistive Technology Specialist helps clients to obtain assistive devices that fit their needs. They facilitate access to these devices by maintaining an open communication line with clients and staff, handling calls and correspondence, arranging appointments, answering inquiries, and explaining services to potential clients. Besides helping clients obtain equipment and services, they also provide technical support and assistance to meet their needs, making them feel at ease every step of the way. Moreover, an Assistive Technology Specialist must keep extensive records and implement standards and policies.
An application specialist is responsible for maintaining the optimal performance of system applications, ensuring smooth navigation by upgrading the features of existing applications, and performing multiple diagnostic tests before releasing the applications to the digital marketplace. Application specialists work closely with the design engineers to improve system codes, verify the efficiency of network infrastructure, and adjusting application functions based on the clients' specifications and business' needs. They should always consider the budget goals, target end-users, and current market trends to design applications, meeting users' demands and public interests.
Assistive technology specialists and application specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Assistive Technology Specialist | Application Specialist | |
| Average salary | $52,611 | $84,635 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $71,000 | Between $60,000 And $118,000 |
| Highest paying City | Dover, DE | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | CENTER FOR SIGHT | Cheniere Energy |
| Best paying industry | Internet | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an assistive technology specialist and an application specialist in terms of educational background:
| Assistive Technology Specialist | Application Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between assistive technology specialists' and application specialists' demographics:
| Assistive Technology Specialist | Application Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 39.8% Female, 60.2% | Male, 53.7% Female, 46.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 10.6% White, 56.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 11.1% White, 55.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |