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The differences between program support assistants and service assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a program support assistant and a service assistant. Additionally, a program support assistant has an average salary of $41,107, which is higher than the $31,928 average annual salary of a service assistant.
The top three skills for a program support assistant include patients, veterans and program support. The most important skills for a service assistant are excellent interpersonal, basic math, and customer satisfaction.
| Program Support Assistant | Service Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $41,107 | $31,928 |
| Hourly rate | $19.76 | $15.35 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 163,716 | 69,115 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A program support assistant is responsible for performing administrative functions to ensure a program's smooth operations. Program support assistants organize the necessary documents, create the expense sheet, respond to the clients' inquiries and concerns, negotiate with vendors and suppliers, and conduct data analysis. They also act as a liaison between the clients and the senior planners to resolve issues and address the clients' requests. A program support assistant maintains the accuracy of client information on the database and regularly updates the clients' files as needed.
A Service Assistant's responsibility depends on the line of work or industry involved. However, the primary responsibility of a Service Assistant is to respond to a customer's inquiry and offer them assistance, a suggestion, or a solution. Aside from ensuring customer satisfaction, a Service Assistant may also process payments, discuss product information, and sell products or services in adherence to the company's policies and regulations. Furthermore, A Service Assistant needs to keep records of transactions at all times and report to management or supervisors.
Program support assistants and service assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Program Support Assistant | Service Assistant | |
| Average salary | $41,107 | $31,928 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $54,000 | Between $23,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | New York State Restaurant Association | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center |
| Best paying industry | Government | Government |
There are a few differences between a program support assistant and a service assistant in terms of educational background:
| Program Support Assistant | Service Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between program support assistants' and service assistants' demographics:
| Program Support Assistant | Service Assistant | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 27.7% Female, 72.3% | Male, 35.8% Female, 64.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.9% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 6.5% White, 54.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.4% Asian, 6.7% White, 54.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |