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The differences between technicians and 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 technician and a specialist. Additionally, a specialist has an average salary of $58,013, 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 a specialist are patients, customer service, and work ethic.
| Technician | Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $38,045 | $58,013 |
| Hourly rate | $18.29 | $27.89 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 596,842 | 358,433 |
| Job satisfaction | 2 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 32% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 40 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 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.
Specialists are employees who are responsible for specific tasks or activities in the department they are assigned to. The actions or tasks they work on are related to their educational background or work experiences. They are usually highly skilled in specializations related to the work they are assigned to. Specialists are also highly trained on the competencies that are required of their specialty. As such, they are focused on the skills and competencies that are needed to enhance their experience in their specific field further.
Technicians and specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Technician | Specialist | |
| Average salary | $38,045 | $58,013 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $58,000 | Between $32,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | - |
There are a few differences between a technician and a specialist in terms of educational background:
| Technician | Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 32% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between technicians' and specialists' demographics:
| Technician | Specialist | |
| Average age | 40 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.2% Female, 24.8% | Male, 47.5% Female, 52.5% |
| 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, 11.4% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 10.5% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 11% |