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The differences between technical associates and printer technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a technical associate and a printer technician. Additionally, a technical associate has an average salary of $86,489, which is higher than the $36,677 average annual salary of a printer technician.
The top three skills for a technical associate include customer service, java and patients. The most important skills for a printer technician are latent prints, troubleshoot, and preventative maintenance.
| Technical Associate | Printer Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $86,489 | $36,677 |
| Hourly rate | $41.58 | $17.63 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 83,261 | 50,147 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 39% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
The duties of a technical associate depend on one's line of work or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around installing and repairing software and applications, troubleshooting, and conducting regular tests and maintenance to ensure smooth workflow. They must also handle and address inquiries or concerns from clients, resolving them promptly and professionally. Moreover, a technical associate mostly works under the directives of a manager or a more experienced staff; they usually coordinate with team members and produce progress reports.
The printer technician primarily does the installation of new printers. Proper printer configuration on the network ensures and maintains the function of individual printers, scanners, or network printers. The printer technician regularly takes care and does routine repairs, including printer replacements of new ink cartridges. They are also comfortable copying, faxing, producing images, and other related printer issues. It is part of their responsibility to identify and resolve malfunctions, procurement, including the installation of those parts and resolving hardware failures.
Technical associates and printer technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Technical Associate | Printer Technician | |
| Average salary | $86,489 | $36,677 |
| Salary range | Between $61,000 And $122,000 | Between $26,000 And $50,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Mateo, CA | Aurora, CO |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | Colorado |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | HP |
| Best paying industry | Internet | Technology |
There are a few differences between a technical associate and a printer technician in terms of educational background:
| Technical Associate | Printer Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 39% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Graphic Design |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between technical associates' and printer technicians' demographics:
| Technical Associate | Printer Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 65.8% Female, 34.2% | Male, 75.6% Female, 24.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Asian, 15.0% White, 54.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 10.5% White, 55.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |