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The differences between program technicians and advocates 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 technician and an advocate. Additionally, a program technician has an average salary of $42,891, which is higher than the $39,497 average annual salary of an advocate.
The top three skills for a program technician include customer service, math and technical support. The most important skills for an advocate are CPR, customer service, and developmental disabilities.
| Program Technician | Advocate | |
| Yearly salary | $42,891 | $39,497 |
| Hourly rate | $20.62 | $18.99 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 83,881 | 74,970 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A program technician is responsible for resolving computer software and application issues and performing administrative duties for customer support. Program technicians keep a record of resolution reports and customer files, process payments for program installations and updates, and offer new services to the customers according to their needs and account eligibility. A program technician must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in navigating computer systems, to guide the clients with troubleshooting and improving the optimization of applications.
An advocate is a voice for the voiceless. It is their responsibility to speak on behalf of an individual or a particular cause. Most of the duties will vary depending on the line of organization or duty involved; however, an advocate must have extensive knowledge or background on the subject matter. Furthermore, an advocate must be present at gatherings regarding the cause, assist in the negotiation and mediation processes involving contracts and legal documentation, provide or convey accurate information, and defend what they represent.
Program technicians and advocates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Program Technician | Advocate | |
| Average salary | $42,891 | $39,497 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $71,000 | Between $26,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bellingham, WA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | New York |
| Best paying company | Meta | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Government | Government |
There are a few differences between a program technician and an advocate in terms of educational background:
| Program Technician | Advocate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Business | Psychology |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | SUNY at Binghamton |
Here are the differences between program technicians' and advocates' demographics:
| Program Technician | Advocate | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.4% Female, 65.6% | Male, 25.7% Female, 74.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 6.3% White, 55.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1% | Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 21.7% Asian, 6.2% White, 54.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |