Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between associate specialists and sales associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an associate specialist has an average salary of $93,288, which is higher than the $32,167 average annual salary of a sales associate.
The top three skills for an associate specialist include windows, product knowledge and phone calls. The most important skills for a sales associate are customer service, sales floor, and cash handling.
An associate specialist's responsibilities will vary on their line of work or industry of employment. In the medical field, an assistant specialist performs tasks to support a senior specialist, such as maintaining medical records and data, devising strategies to improve services and care plans, and monitoring patients' vital signs and daily progress. There are also instances when an associate specialist must provide health care advice to patients and their families. Should the patient show signs of unusual behavior, it is crucial to report to the physician immediately.
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.
Associate specialists and sales associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Associate Specialist | Sales Associate | |
| Average salary | $93,288 | $32,167 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $135,000 | Between $21,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | Urban Honolulu, HI | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | New York |
| Best paying company | University of Hawaii Foundation | Barclays |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an associate specialist and a sales associate in terms of educational background:
| Associate Specialist | Sales Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between associate specialists' and sales associates' demographics:
| Associate Specialist | Sales Associate | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 40.9% Female, 59.1% | Male, 38.4% Female, 61.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.8% Asian, 8.3% White, 56.8% 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% |