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The differences between distribution associates and certified medical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a distribution associate and a certified medical technician. Additionally, a certified medical technician has an average salary of $38,859, which is higher than the $33,453 average annual salary of a distribution associate.
The top three skills for a distribution associate include pallets, basic math and customer orders. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.
| Distribution Associate | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $33,453 | $38,859 |
| Hourly rate | $16.08 | $18.68 |
| Growth rate | -3% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 175,791 | 164,424 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 33% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A distribution associate typically works at warehouses or distribution establishments where they are in charge of processing orders for shipments or deliveries in a timely and efficient manner. Their responsibilities often include monitoring the inventory of goods, identifying and locating items, liaising with clients, receiving orders, lifting heavy packages, and maintaining accurate records of all transactions. Furthermore, as a distribution associate, it is essential to be proactive as warehouse conditions can be unpredictable due to the influx of goods.
Certified Medical Technicians are specialists in medical diagnoses by performing laboratory testing and analysis for hospitals and physicians. Their duties include lab sanitization to prepare for testing and collection, recording medical samples for testing, specimen preparation, blood drawing for donation and testing, and assisting physicians with sample collection as well as equipment handling in surgical rooms. They must also understand how to use complex and sensitive testing equipment such as cell counters, analyzers, microscopes, and centrifuges.
Distribution associates and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Distribution Associate | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average salary | $33,453 | $38,859 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $40,000 | Between $28,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Denton, TX |
| Highest paying state | New York | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Clearwater Paper | Favorite Healthcare Staffing |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a distribution associate and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:
| Distribution Associate | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 33% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Most common major | Business | Nursing |
| Most common college | - | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between distribution associates' and certified medical technicians' demographics:
| Distribution Associate | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.3% Female, 33.7% | Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 21.0% Asian, 7.1% White, 55.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 15.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 10.0% White, 53.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |