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The differences between installation technicians and installation specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an installation specialist has an average salary of $49,602, which is higher than the $38,043 average annual salary of an installation technician.
The top three skills for an installation technician include customer service, ladders and hand tools. The most important skills for an installation specialist are customer service, ladders, and scaffolding.
| Installation Technician | Installation Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $38,043 | $49,602 |
| Hourly rate | $18.29 | $23.85 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 129,534 | 103,003 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 32% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
Installation technicians are responsible for handling and installing all types of electronic systems and equipment. An installation technician should be well-knowledgeable about the equipment complexity to conduct troubleshooting for system malfunction or provide necessary instructions for the customers. In some cases, installation technicians are required to conduct regular checks and maintenance to ensure that the system functions properly, upgrading, or replacing equipment for improvement. Installation technicians usually handle customer queries for the system and are expected to resolve issues through remote work or area visit.
Installation specialists are skilled employees who are responsible for installing various equipment, machinery, and computer systems for a company or clients. These specialists must work with HVAC contractors to install air-conditioning ductwork and materials in business establishments and homes. They should recommend corrective action when identifying electrical and environmental deficiencies to ensure optimized performance and reliability of equipment. Installation specialists must also test hardware and software to determine its efficiency and reliability as well as its compatibility with the existing system.
Installation technicians and installation specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Installation Technician | Installation Specialist | |
| Average salary | $38,043 | $49,602 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $49,000 | Between $33,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Pella | Technip USA Corporation |
| Best paying industry | Finance | - |
There are a few differences between an installation technician and an installation specialist in terms of educational background:
| Installation Technician | Installation Specialist | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 32% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | New York University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between installation technicians' and installation specialists' demographics:
| Installation Technician | Installation Specialist | |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4% | Male, 83.8% Female, 16.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 6.3% White, 57.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 10.1% White, 56.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 11% |