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The differences between associates and sales associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an associate has an average salary of $69,556, which is higher than the $32,167 average annual salary of a sales associate.
The top three skills for an associate include customer service, sales floor and patients. The most important skills for a sales associate are customer service, sales floor, and cash handling.
| Associate | Sales Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $69,556 | $32,167 |
| Hourly rate | $33.44 | $15.46 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 569,041 | 579,849 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Associates are typically entry-level positions for employees who are taking on their first job or organizational role. They are assigned to teams or departments that are related to their skills or educational background. They usually start with smaller tasks that may not seem as impactful but are still essential to the department. Associates are trained by more tenured team members on the ins and outs of the department and the organization. As they grow with the organization, they are given more responsibilities that directly impact the results of the department's initiatives as they work towards their goals.
Sales associates are responsible for promoting the company's goods or services. They are expected to provide exceptional customer service to prospective buyers. They should be familiar with all features of the company's products or services so that they can answer the customers' inquiries. Sales associates also assist customers in processing their checkouts, refunds, returns, and other needs. They should be customer-oriented, and they should have great communication skills. They should know how to sell their products or services to customers. They are considered the company's representatives on the ground.
Associates and sales associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Associate | Sales Associate | |
| Average salary | $69,556 | $32,167 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $140,000 | Between $21,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | New York | New York |
| Best paying company | Simpson Thacher & Bartlett | Barclays |
| Best paying industry | - | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an associate and a sales associate in terms of educational background:
| Associate | Sales Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between associates' and sales associates' demographics:
| Associate | Sales Associate | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 50.4% Female, 49.6% | Male, 38.4% Female, 61.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 8.3% White, 57.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 21.4% Asian, 6.9% White, 55.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |