Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between technical associates and technical specialists 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 technical specialist. Additionally, a technical specialist has an average salary of $88,773, which is higher than the $86,489 average annual salary of a technical associate.
The top three skills for a technical associate include customer service, java and patients. The most important skills for a technical specialist are customer service, technical support, and patients.
| Technical Associate | Technical Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $86,489 | $88,773 |
| Hourly rate | $41.58 | $42.68 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 83,261 | 121,151 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| 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 role of technical specialists is to provide technical support for applications and programs to staff members and customers within an organization. They train staff and customers on products and apps and offer advice on the best practices for utilizing technical programs and applications. They also design training materials to teach other staff members the most effective methods of using its technology. It is also their job to reduce company costs by looking for ways to improve productivity and lessen expenses.
Technical associates and technical specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Technical Associate | Technical Specialist | |
| Average salary | $86,489 | $88,773 |
| Salary range | Between $61,000 And $122,000 | Between $62,000 And $126,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Mateo, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | Delaware |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner |
| Best paying industry | Internet | Technology |
There are a few differences between a technical associate and a technical specialist in terms of educational background:
| Technical Associate | Technical Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 57% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between technical associates' and technical specialists' demographics:
| Technical Associate | Technical Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 65.8% Female, 34.2% | Male, 71.2% Female, 28.8% |
| 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, 10.8% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 12.5% White, 54.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 11% |