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The differences between program support specialists and support associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a program support specialist and a support associate. Additionally, a support associate has an average salary of $47,039, which is higher than the $39,327 average annual salary of a program support specialist.
The top three skills for a program support specialist include program support, veterans and powerpoint. The most important skills for a support associate are sales floor, computer system, and POS.
| Program Support Specialist | Support Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $39,327 | $47,039 |
| Hourly rate | $18.91 | $22.61 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 169,855 | 100,892 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A program support specialist is responsible for monitoring the overall program aspects of an organization from the conceptualization to the final execution. Program support specialists negotiate contracts and transactions with the suppliers and vendors for resources that meet the funding and budget limitations. They process documents and assist the program staff in coordinating with other organizations for program plans and potential sponsorships. A program support specialist must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in handling the program objectives and ensure client satisfaction.
The primary role of sales support associates is to help sales staff and customers during the sales process. A sales support associate also performs other tasks that include maintaining positive customer relations, responding to customers' requests for quotes, information, and specifications, and, initiating contact with prospective customers. They are also responsible for coordinating proposals, sales literature production, and presentations. Requirements for this position include a high school diploma or general education development, administrative and communication skills, and organizational skills.
Program support specialists and support associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Program Support Specialist | Support Associate | |
| Average salary | $39,327 | $47,039 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $58,000 | Between $26,000 And $83,000 |
| Highest paying City | Urban Honolulu, HI | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Los Alamos National Laboratory | Apollo Global Management |
| Best paying industry | Government | - |
There are a few differences between a program support specialist and a support associate in terms of educational background:
| Program Support Specialist | Support Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between program support specialists' and support associates' demographics:
| Program Support Specialist | Support Associate | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.7% Female, 75.3% | Male, 36.7% Female, 63.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.8% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.0% Asian, 10.5% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 10.6% White, 56.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |