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The differences between technicians and associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an associate has an average salary of $69,556, which is higher than the $38,045 average annual salary of a technician.
The top three skills for a technician include patients, customer service and patient care. The most important skills for an associate are customer service, sales floor, and patients.
| Technician | Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $38,045 | $69,556 |
| Hourly rate | $18.29 | $33.44 |
| Growth rate | 1% | - |
| Number of jobs | 596,842 | 569,041 |
| Job satisfaction | 2 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 32% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 40 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | - |
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.
Associates are typically entry-level positions for employees who are taking on their first job or organizational role. They are assigned to teams or departments that are related to their skills or educational background. They usually start with smaller tasks that may not seem as impactful but are still essential to the department. Associates are trained by more tenured team members on the ins and outs of the department and the organization. As they grow with the organization, they are given more responsibilities that directly impact the results of the department's initiatives as they work towards their goals.
Technicians and associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Technician | Associate | |
| Average salary | $38,045 | $69,556 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $58,000 | Between $34,000 And $140,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | New York |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | Simpson Thacher & Bartlett |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | - |
There are a few differences between a technician and an associate in terms of educational background:
| Technician | Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 32% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between technicians' and associates' demographics:
| Technician | Associate | |
| Average age | 40 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.2% Female, 24.8% | Male, 50.4% Female, 49.6% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 8.3% White, 57.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 7% |