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The differences between service advisors and technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a service advisor, becoming a technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a service advisor has an average salary of $46,308, which is higher than the $38,045 average annual salary of a technician.
The top three skills for a service advisor include customer service, product knowledge and basic math. The most important skills for a technician are patients, customer service, and patient care.
| Service Advisor | Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $46,308 | $38,045 |
| Hourly rate | $22.26 | $18.29 |
| Growth rate | -4% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 222,424 | 596,842 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | 2 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 33% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
Service Advisors specialize in customer service in a car dealership or automotive shop. Acting as a front-desk representative, it is the Service Advisor's responsibility to greet clients and offer assistance, provide necessary and accurate information to customers regarding the automotive issues and needed repairs, respond to inquiries, and introduce the clients to the available mechanics. Moreover, Service Advisors must inform clients regarding the costs and warranties, keep the clients updated with the status of the repairs, coordinate with suppliers, and as well as manage the schedule of the mechanics.
Technicians are skilled professionals who primarily work with technology in different industries. They are knowledgeable about the technical aspects of the various items they work with. They are usually working with electricity or with technological advancements. Technicians may be assigned to do the construction of equipment or materials related to their field of study. They may also be assigned to conduct diagnostics and other maintenance activities to ensure that the equipment works properly. Technicians may also be required to conduct basic repairs in case of problems. It is important that technicians have good analytical skills and decision-making skills.
Service advisors and technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Service Advisor | Technician | |
| Average salary | $46,308 | $38,045 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $79,000 | Between $24,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | BP America Inc | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a service advisor and a technician in terms of educational background:
| Service Advisor | Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 33% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between service advisors' and technicians' demographics:
| Service Advisor | Technician | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 69.4% Female, 30.6% | Male, 75.2% Female, 24.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 21.1% Asian, 6.1% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 4.9% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 2% |