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The differences between rehabilitation technicians and rehabilitation specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a rehabilitation specialist has an average salary of $42,934, which is higher than the $29,533 average annual salary of a rehabilitation technician.
The top three skills for a rehabilitation technician include patients, rehabilitation and physical therapy. The most important skills for a rehabilitation specialist are rehabilitation, patients, and crisis intervention.
| Rehabilitation Technician | Rehabilitation Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $29,533 | $42,934 |
| Hourly rate | $14.20 | $20.64 |
| Growth rate | 24% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 31,196 | 29,177 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 43 | 45 |
| Years of experience | - | 12 |
A rehabilitation technician is responsible for assisting therapists and other medical personnel on supporting the patients in their daily activities and physical therapy sessions. Rehabilitation technicians provide high-quality care services for the patients by administering medications, accompanying them on medical appointments, and ensuring the cleanliness and orderliness of all equipment and facilities to prevent hazards within the premises. They may also perform administrative and clerical duties such as updating patients' information on the database, writing reports, processing payments for medical procedures, and maintaining medical charts for reference.
Rehabilitation specialists are professionals who are responsible for helping individuals with physical and mental disabilities to reintegrate into society and live independently. These specialists must assist their clients in finding the type of work they could do with their disability and prepare them for their interview. They are required to provide a basic explanation about the medical or mental health condition to their clients. Rehabilitation specialists must also collaborate with other professionals to assist with rehabilitation exercises.
Rehabilitation technicians and rehabilitation specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Rehabilitation Technician | Rehabilitation Specialist | |
| Average salary | $29,533 | $42,934 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $37,000 | Between $29,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Cleveland, OH |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Lawrence General Hospital | Prudential Bank |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Professional |
There are a few differences between a rehabilitation technician and a rehabilitation specialist in terms of educational background:
| Rehabilitation Technician | Rehabilitation Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Kinesiology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Columbia University in the City of New York |
Here are the differences between rehabilitation technicians' and rehabilitation specialists' demographics:
| Rehabilitation Technician | Rehabilitation Specialist | |
| Average age | 43 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 31.0% Female, 69.0% | Male, 33.0% Female, 67.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 14.4% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 9.5% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 13.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 2.9% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 21% |