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Technician vs assistant

The differences between technicians and assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a technician and an assistant. Additionally, a technician has an average salary of $38,045, which is higher than the $37,363 average annual salary of an assistant.

The top three skills for a technician include patients, customer service and patient care. The most important skills for an assistant are patients, customer service, and patient care.

Technician vs assistant overview

TechnicianAssistant
Yearly salary$38,045$37,363
Hourly rate$18.29$17.96
Growth rate1%-8%
Number of jobs596,842557,900
Job satisfaction2-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 32%Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Average age4050
Years of experience22

What does a technician do?

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.

What does an assistant do?

An assistant intern is responsible for facilitating administrative and clerical tasks as assigned by the management. Assistant interns' duties include keeping records of meetings, receiving calls and handling customer inquiries, assisting on writing reports and data entry processing, cooperating and providing support for business events, and adhering to company policies and regulatory procedures. Successful assistant interns must have excellent time-management, multi-tasking, and communication skills. They must be a team player and fast-learner to handle various tasks in the corporate industry.

Technician vs assistant salary

Technicians and assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

TechnicianAssistant
Average salary$38,045$37,363
Salary rangeBetween $24,000 And $58,000Between $16,000 And $82,000
Highest paying CitySan Jose, CABoston, MA
Highest paying stateHawaiiMassachusetts
Best paying companyMicrosoftLatham & Watkins
Best paying industryTelecommunicationEducation

Differences between technician and assistant education

There are a few differences between a technician and an assistant in terms of educational background:

TechnicianAssistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 32%Bachelor's Degree, 49%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college-Western Carolina University

Technician vs assistant demographics

Here are the differences between technicians' and assistants' demographics:

TechnicianAssistant
Average age4050
Gender ratioMale, 75.2% Female, 24.8%Male, 40.7% Female, 59.3%
Race ratioBlack 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%Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 3.8% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage2%6%

Differences between technician and assistant duties and responsibilities

Technician example responsibilities.

  • Achieve multiple ASE certifications within first year of employment.
  • Implement and manage UHF radio base stations, repeaters, and command network, effectively linking all regional headquarters.
  • Manage telecommunications installation and repair for hospital Nortel network.
  • Maintain numerous automate scripts to assist in managing Linux systems.
  • Manage, troubleshot and repair multiple wireless technologies including fiber optic transmission switches.
  • Install peripherals including printers, fax machines, scanners, and smartphones.
  • Show more

Assistant example responsibilities.

  • Manage circulations, including educational textbooks and DVDS, video technology and supplies.
  • Manage branches providing information technology support, logistics, training and operational support.
  • Manage company's twitter account and communicate with multiple physical therapy providers around the country
  • Optimize productivity in prioritizing and managing special projects, PowerPoint presentations for classes, and proctore exams for undergraduate classes.
  • Assist in jewelry design and assembly, manage company Facebook page, participate in wholesale buying, and manage retail inventory
  • Manage and update company Facebook page with daily updates, finding/sharing relevant and interesting information, and encouraging fan engagement.
  • Show more

Technician vs assistant skills

Common technician skills
  • Patients, 16%
  • Customer Service, 14%
  • Patient Care, 8%
  • Hand Tools, 6%
  • Diagnosis, 5%
  • Preventative Maintenance, 4%
Common assistant skills
  • Patients, 27%
  • Customer Service, 13%
  • Patient Care, 8%
  • CPR, 5%
  • Sales Floor, 5%
  • Scheduling Appointments, 3%

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