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The differences between health care technicians and health aides can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a health care technician has an average salary of $36,553, which is higher than the $30,434 average annual salary of a health aide.
The top three skills for a health care technician include patients, CPR and plant health. The most important skills for a health aide are patients, home health, and community health.
| Health Care Technician | Health Aide | |
| Yearly salary | $36,553 | $30,434 |
| Hourly rate | $17.57 | $14.63 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 36% |
| Number of jobs | 173,122 | 121,842 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Average age | 34 | 50 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A health care technician works with laboratory equipment used for the analysis of specimens for diagnosis. The health care technician's role is an integral part of a health care facility as all proper diagnosis stems from accurate laboratory results. Included with a healthcare technician's tasks is to take vital signs, collect samples, and work closely with doctors during patient consultations and check-ups. The health care technician typically works inside a laboratory and is expected to keep the area clean and all equipment is all in working order.
A health aide is responsible for providing care and assistance to patients in medical facilities, care centers, and even at home. They typically help patients by administering medicines, monitoring their blood pressure and vital signs, facilitating exercises, preparing meals, providing emotional support, and assisting them in performing hygienic tasks such as bathing, dressing, brushing teeth, and going to the toilet. Furthermore, as a health aide, it is essential to monitor the behavior and progress of patients, reporting to nurses and physicians regularly.
Health care technicians and health aides have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Health Care Technician | Health Aide | |
| Average salary | $36,553 | $30,434 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $49,000 | Between $23,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | Chelmsford, MA | Marysville, WA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Washington |
| Best paying company | University of California, Berkeley | Boston Medical Center |
| Best paying industry | Government | Education |
There are a few differences between a health care technician and a health aide in terms of educational background:
| Health Care Technician | Health Aide | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Nursing |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | - |
Here are the differences between health care technicians' and health aides' demographics:
| Health Care Technician | Health Aide | |
| Average age | 34 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 37.8% Female, 62.2% | Male, 16.6% Female, 83.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 14.3% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 6.4% White, 51.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 24.0% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 23.4% Asian, 10.5% White, 35.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 15% | 5% |