Program support technician vs administrative technician

The differences between program support technicians and administrative technicians 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 technician and an administrative technician. Additionally, an administrative technician has an average salary of $41,290, which is higher than the $36,653 average annual salary of a program support technician.

The top three skills for a program support technician include program support, data entry and DMV. The most important skills for an administrative technician are customer service, data entry, and patients.

Program support technician vs administrative technician overview

	Program Support Technician	Administrative Technician
Yearly salary	$36,653	$41,290
Hourly rate	$17.62	$19.85
Growth rate	10%	-8%
Number of jobs	160,368	73,101
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Average age	42	50
Years of experience	2	2

What does a program support technician do?

Program support technicians require administrative experience and skills in communication, organization, and proficiency with office software to do their best. This career choice demands showcasing support for users by answering their questions, resolving technical issues, and maintaining the network, software, and computer equipment of the respective company.

What does an administrative technician do?

Administrative technicians are employees who manage a variety of administrative tasks. They are in charge of sorting out mail, taking phone calls, and managing meeting room reservations. They work on the upkeep of files and records, office supplies, and admin systems. Administrative technicians are sometimes assigned to conduct research and devise ways to improve the efficiency of office operations. They assist administrative officers and managers in drafting policies and guidelines. Administrative technicians may also be assigned to create presentation materials and documentary requirements needed by the department.

Program support technician vs administrative technician salary

Program support technicians and administrative technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Program Support Technician	Administrative Technician
Average salary	$36,653	$41,290
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $52,000	Between $25,000 And $65,000
Highest paying City	Long Beach, CA	Boston, MA
Highest paying state	Hawaii	Connecticut
Best paying company	Mandiant	InfosysPublicService
Best paying industry	Health Care	Finance

Differences between program support technician and administrative technician education

There are a few differences between a program support technician and an administrative technician in terms of educational background:

	Program Support Technician	Administrative Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	California State University - Bakersfield	Western Carolina University

Program support technician vs administrative technician demographics

Here are the differences between program support technicians' and administrative technicians' demographics:

	Program Support Technician	Administrative Technician
Average age	42	50
Gender ratio	Male, 32.2% Female, 67.8%	Male, 34.0% Female, 66.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 14.2% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 13.2% Asian, 9.6% White, 57.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 3.8% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	11%	6%

Differences between program support technician and administrative technician duties and responsibilities

Program support technician example responsibilities.

Manage facility projects, produce facility reports preventive maintenance, work orders and administer maintenance program using CMMS and SCADA.
Prepare and process all payroll and personnel transactions, travel arrangements and reimbursements.
Create PowerPoint presentations for online circulation and print distribution to articulate departmental goals.
Utilize the tracking system to enter all demographics for tenant petitions, capitol improvements, voluntary agreements and substantial rehabilitation cases.
Communicate daily with medical center staff within the VISN, insurance companies, and co-workers.

Administrative technician example responsibilities.

Design and manage an innovative human capital and knowledge management information technology systems (e.g., PeopleSoft).
Manage after-hour phone consultations and create referral records for 2.2k patients while ensuring care continuity from civilian medical facilities.
Perform classroom instruction on Linux OS and database operations.
Utilize SharePoint to copy soft tokens into the appropriate agency's folder.
Build, maintain and support the company's Intranet portal system using SharePoint.
Set up PCs and laptops to any new employee for when they first arrive.

Program support technician vs administrative technician skills

Common program support technician skills

Program Support, 17%
Data Entry, 10%
DMV, 9%
Office Equipment, 7%
Technical Support, 7%
Motor Vehicle, 6%

Common administrative technician skills

Customer Service, 14%
Data Entry, 11%
Patients, 8%
Database Management, 5%
Payroll, 5%
Troubleshoot, 4%

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Program Support Technician
Program Support Technician vs Administrative Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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