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The differences between student volunteers and program assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a student volunteer and a program assistant. Additionally, a program assistant has an average salary of $35,193, which is higher than the $29,145 average annual salary of a student volunteer.
The top three skills for a student volunteer include patients, criminal justice and physical therapy. The most important skills for a program assistant are patients, customer service, and data entry.
| Student Volunteer | Program Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $29,145 | $35,193 |
| Hourly rate | $14.01 | $16.92 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 12,024 | 96,901 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A student volunteer is an individual who participates in the university's volunteer program to gain work experience and develop new skills. Student volunteers make significant contributions to organizations and local communities by using their skills and giving their time. They follow directions and guidelines that are set by the organization and complete all the necessary training. To optimize their work experience, student volunteers must properly select an organization that appeals to their interests.
Program assistants are usually entry-level or junior employees assigned to a department that handles a specific program in the organization. They assist the team they are assigned to in the implementation of the programs. They usually take care of administrative or clerical activities while also getting exposure to actual program management. Program assistants get trained to handle agendas from inception, to sourcing, to implementation, to evaluation. They may also handle documentary support for business cases or other presentation materials that the team may need for a specific part of the program management cycle.
Student volunteers and program assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Student Volunteer | Program Assistant | |
| Average salary | $29,145 | $35,193 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $36,000 | Between $27,000 And $45,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | - | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | - | The Aspen Institute |
| Best paying industry | - | Government |
There are a few differences between a student volunteer and a program assistant in terms of educational background:
| Student Volunteer | Program Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Business |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between student volunteers' and program assistants' demographics:
| Student Volunteer | Program Assistant | |
| Average age | 43 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.5% Female, 65.5% | Male, 24.8% Female, 75.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 15.7% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.2% Asian, 6.8% White, 50.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2% | Black or African American, 13.8% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 6.7% White, 53.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |