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The differences between gis technicians and specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a gis technician, becoming a specialist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a gis technician has an average salary of $58,307, which is higher than the $58,013 average annual salary of a specialist.
The top three skills for a gis technician include patients, patient care and GPS. The most important skills for a specialist are patients, customer service, and work ethic.
| GIS Technician | Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $58,307 | $58,013 |
| Hourly rate | $28.03 | $27.89 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 8,922 | 358,433 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
A GIS Technician is responsible for making maps and customizing geographic information systems applications. They also provide technical support to users or clients regarding the maintenance, development, or operation of geographic information systems databases.
Specialists are employees who are responsible for specific tasks or activities in the department they are assigned to. The actions or tasks they work on are related to their educational background or work experiences. They are usually highly skilled in specializations related to the work they are assigned to. Specialists are also highly trained on the competencies that are required of their specialty. As such, they are focused on the skills and competencies that are needed to enhance their experience in their specific field further.
Gis technicians and specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| GIS Technician | Specialist | |
| Average salary | $58,307 | $58,013 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $86,000 | Between $32,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | American Water | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Utilities | - |
There are a few differences between a gis technician and a specialist in terms of educational background:
| GIS Technician | Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Geography | Business |
| Most common college | University of California, Berkeley | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between gis technicians' and specialists' demographics:
| GIS Technician | Specialist | |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 68.4% Female, 31.6% | Male, 47.5% Female, 52.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 10.5% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |