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The differences between program technicians and volunteers 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 a volunteer. Additionally, a program technician has an average salary of $42,891, which is higher than the $31,227 average annual salary of a volunteer.
The top three skills for a program technician include customer service, math and technical support. The most important skills for a volunteer are child care, patient charts, and patient care.
| Program Technician | Volunteer | |
| Yearly salary | $42,891 | $31,227 |
| Hourly rate | $20.62 | $15.01 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 83,881 | 9,583 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| 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.
Volunteers are usually unpaid individuals who render their service to a company or organization. Most of the time, volunteers are skilled in specific areas needed by the organization but prefer to provide free service. They may be employed in another organization, but they lend their time and talent to another organization or company to give back to the community. They raise funds, create awareness, and work on the ground. Volunteers usually choose a cause or advocacy close to their heart, such as teaching children, taking care of the elderly, coaching sports teams, cleaning up communities, and caring for animals.
Program technicians and volunteers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Program Technician | Volunteer | |
| Average salary | $42,891 | $31,227 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $71,000 | Between $23,000 And $41,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bellingham, WA | - |
| Highest paying state | Oregon | - |
| Best paying company | Meta | - |
| Best paying industry | Government | - |
There are a few differences between a program technician and a volunteer in terms of educational background:
| Program Technician | Volunteer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | California State University - Fullerton |
Here are the differences between program technicians' and volunteers' demographics:
| Program Technician | Volunteer | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.4% Female, 65.6% | Male, 36.0% Female, 64.0% |
| 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, 13.2% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.5% Asian, 7.3% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |