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Representative vs associate

The differences between representatives and associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an associate has an average salary of $69,556, which is higher than the $36,023 average annual salary of a representative.

The top three skills for a representative include cleanliness, patients and customer issues. The most important skills for an associate are customer service, sales floor, and patients.

Representative vs associate overview

RepresentativeAssociate
Yearly salary$36,023$69,556
Hourly rate$17.32$33.44
Growth rate-4%-
Number of jobs252,761569,041
Job satisfaction5-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 53%Bachelor's Degree, 46%
Average age4041
Years of experience12-

What does a representative do?

Representatives are lawmakers who represent the people in a specific district. They run for office to represent their districts in their hometown or their current place of living. Representatives are usually charismatic and good communicators. These characteristics are especially important during campaign and election periods. Representatives should be able to capture the hearts of the voters through their planned projects and advocacies. They are then elected by their constituents. Upon election, representatives author bills that will eventually be passed into law should it be approved by the majority of the congress. They also vote on the passage of bills authored by other representatives. They also participate in discussions and debates regarding different bills, issues, and laws. Representatives are expected to vote according to their conscience and in consideration of the voice of their constituents.

What does an associate do?

Associates are typically entry-level positions for employees who are taking on their first job or organizational role. They are assigned to teams or departments that are related to their skills or educational background. They usually start with smaller tasks that may not seem as impactful but are still essential to the department. Associates are trained by more tenured team members on the ins and outs of the department and the organization. As they grow with the organization, they are given more responsibilities that directly impact the results of the department's initiatives as they work towards their goals.

Representative vs associate salary

Representatives and associates have different pay scales, as shown below.

RepresentativeAssociate
Average salary$36,023$69,556
Salary rangeBetween $23,000 And $55,000Between $34,000 And $140,000
Highest paying CityWashington, DCWashington, DC
Highest paying stateNew YorkNew York
Best paying companyGoogleSimpson Thacher & Bartlett
Best paying industryTransportation-

Differences between representative and associate education

There are a few differences between a representative and an associate in terms of educational background:

RepresentativeAssociate
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 53%Bachelor's Degree, 46%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Representative vs associate demographics

Here are the differences between representatives' and associates' demographics:

RepresentativeAssociate
Average age4041
Gender ratioMale, 41.8% Female, 58.2%Male, 50.4% Female, 49.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 20.9% Asian, 7.5% White, 54.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 8.3% White, 57.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage7%7%

Differences between representative and associate duties and responsibilities

Representative example responsibilities.

  • Manage fitting rooms and recover the department, while providing exceptional customer service and offering rewards and POS options.
  • Manage physical portfolio with necessary derivatives to mitigate risk within company guidelines.
  • Conduct telephone sales and interviews, compile and enter information into database, manage documents and insure customer satisfaction.
  • Review EOB denials, appeals and/or rebilling as appropriate.
  • Certify of all requirements, policies, and procedures, including MSB.
  • Take inbound phone calls from member and providers explaining the EOB denial and payments
    • Show more

Associate example responsibilities.

  • Manage the sale of smoothies at different educational institutes while interacting with hundreds of students and ensuring their happiness and satisfaction.
  • Manage customer resolutions associate with flight reservations.
  • Lead the team by exemplify reliability through punctuality and personal integrity.
  • Help drive sales by providing excellent customer service in gourmet cheese, wine, beer, and coffee departments.
  • Utilize teamwork, communication, customer service, responsibility, and organizational skills.
  • Work according to ISO standards.
    • Show more

Representative vs associate skills

Common representative skills
  • Cleanliness, 20%
  • Patients, 11%
  • Customer Issues, 10%
  • Customer Service, 10%
  • Data Entry, 6%
  • Outbound Calls, 3%
Common associate skills
  • Customer Service, 16%
  • Sales Floor, 13%
  • Patients, 10%
  • Cleanliness, 8%
  • Windows, 4%
  • HR, 4%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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