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Media assistant vs media technician

The differences between media assistants and media technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a media assistant, becoming a media technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a media technician has an average salary of $45,576, which is higher than the $37,287 average annual salary of a media assistant.

The top three skills for a media assistant include video production, audio equipment and visual equipment. The most important skills for a media technician are video production, troubleshoot, and technical support.

Media assistant vs media technician overview

Media AssistantMedia Technician
Yearly salary$37,287$45,576
Hourly rate$17.93$21.91
Growth rate8%10%
Number of jobs13,89438,422
Job satisfaction3-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 76%Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Average age4242
Years of experience42

What does a media assistant do?

Media assistants are professionals who are responsible for providing administrative support to the media operations of an organization. These assistants are required to work closely with the media team to perform tasks such as analyzing media, using media software to keep track of performance and develop strong relationships with media outlets. By coordinating with technical consultants, media assistants must assist in planning various video productions as well as updating the content and graphics of the company's website. They must also develop strategies so that they can increase audience reach across media channels.

What does a media technician do?

Media technicians are professionals who are responsible for setting up and operating audio-visual and computer media equipment and materials. To enhance meetings, lectures, seminars, these technicians are required to schedule and assist the usage of equipment in academic or business settings. They must identify and perform troubleshooting with technical difficulties with online streaming and must effectively communicate with the staff from the information technology (IT) department. Media technicians must also identify sound or multimedia requirements for a given task and perform appropriate actions to produce this sound or media.

Media assistant vs media technician salary

Media assistants and media technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Media AssistantMedia Technician
Average salary$37,287$45,576
Salary rangeBetween $25,000 And $54,000Between $29,000 And $70,000
Highest paying CityMountain View, CAStamford, CT
Highest paying stateNew YorkDelaware
Best paying companyGoogleZoetis
Best paying industryProfessionalProfessional

Differences between media assistant and media technician education

There are a few differences between a media assistant and a media technician in terms of educational background:

Media AssistantMedia Technician
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 76%Bachelor's Degree, 62%
Most common majorCommunicationCommunication
Most common collegeStanford UniversityJohns Hopkins University

Media assistant vs media technician demographics

Here are the differences between media assistants' and media technicians' demographics:

Media AssistantMedia Technician
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 38.7% Female, 61.3%Male, 69.7% Female, 30.3%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 11.9% Asian, 5.3% White, 67.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 6.5% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 5.1% White, 62.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage12%8%

Differences between media assistant and media technician duties and responsibilities

Media assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage a budget to purchase equipment and software for multimedia development and campus audio/visual needs.
  • Alter the style of animations and video material for company's YouTube channel and website.
  • Edit game footage to produce highlights that are publish on the WatchND website and WatchND YouTube account.
  • Maintain and update project checklists and PowerPoint presentations.
  • Design, configure, and operate high-end computers used for video/audio editing, and multimedia authoring.
  • Co-Authore the specifications for and supervise the successful installation of a compress video teleconferencing network used for distance learning and videoconferencing.
  • Show more

Media technician example responsibilities.

  • Lead false-positive team to identify and resolve network service issues and produce a manual for outsource providers to troubleshoot technical issues.
  • Participate in brainstorming sessions, proofread and edit marketing materials, manage magazine inventory.
  • Provide technical support for VTC conference call monitoring, performance reports, troubleshooting of AV/VTC issues and audio/video conferencing relate issues.
  • Provide private IP address ranges for testing.
  • Work with Resolume and Watchout projection mapping software.
  • Input outgoing social media messages into Hootsuite and Facebook daily.
  • Show more

Media assistant vs media technician skills

Common media assistant skills
  • Video Production, 20%
  • Audio Equipment, 6%
  • Visual Equipment, 6%
  • Photography, 5%
  • Press Releases, 5%
  • Library Materials, 3%
Common media technician skills
  • Video Production, 14%
  • Troubleshoot, 9%
  • Technical Support, 5%
  • Windows, 5%
  • Audio Equipment, 4%
  • Visual Equipment, 4%

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