Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between call center agents and call center associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a call center agent and a call center associate. Additionally, a call center associate has an average salary of $31,363, which is higher than the $31,180 average annual salary of a call center agent.
The top three skills for a call center agent include customer service, strong customer service and data entry. The most important skills for a call center associate are patients, inbound calls, and customer service.
| Call Center Agent | Call Center Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $31,180 | $31,363 |
| Hourly rate | $14.99 | $15.08 |
| Growth rate | -4% | -4% |
| Number of jobs | 131,722 | 198,167 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 39% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A call center agent is responsible for answering calls and assisting clients by responding to inquiries. They also handle complaints and resolve issues, troubleshoot errors, and process applications. The tasks of a call center agent will vary on the directives of supervisors. There are instances when they must make calls to gather or give information, sell products, and discuss a particular subject. Furthermore, most of the duties take place in a team setting, which is why it is essential to coordinate with colleagues and adhere to the company's policies and regulations at all times.
Call center associates are professionals who are responsible for taking inbound and outbound customer calls and handle responsibilities that include account inquiries, customer complaints, or product and support issues. These associates are required to provide quality assistance and customer service so that they can receive positive reviews from their customers. They must assist customers with technical support issues, which include updating product documentation and training materials. Call center associates must also accurately identify their customers' needs and objectives so that they can achieve the organization's sales goals.
Call center agents and call center associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Call Center Agent | Call Center Associate | |
| Average salary | $31,180 | $31,363 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $41,000 | Between $22,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Albany, NY |
| Highest paying state | Minnesota | New York |
| Best paying company | University of California, Berkeley | Spectrum |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a call center agent and a call center associate in terms of educational background:
| Call Center Agent | Call Center Associate | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 39% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between call center agents' and call center associates' demographics:
| Call Center Agent | Call Center Associate | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 30.8% Female, 69.2% | Male, 35.0% Female, 65.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 21.0% Asian, 5.9% White, 55.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.3% Asian, 6.3% White, 57.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 7% |