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Assembler vs assembly technician

The differences between assemblers and assembly technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an assembly technician has an average salary of $34,952, which is higher than the $30,849 average annual salary of an assembler.

The top three skills for an assembler include assembly line, part numbers and dexterity. The most important skills for an assembly technician are customer service, hand tools, and lean manufacturing.

Assembler vs assembly technician overview

AssemblerAssembly Technician
Yearly salary$30,849$34,952
Hourly rate$14.83$16.80
Growth rate-2%
Number of jobs22,56652,385
Job satisfaction5-
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 49%High School Diploma, 34%
Average age4449
Years of experience--

What does an assembler do?

An assembler's general responsibility is to assemble parts and pieces of an item to create a full-length component. An assembler's duties also include checking inventories for correct quantities of components, following blueprints and acknowledging assembly instructions, verifying resources and supplies before assembly, and inspecting tools and equipment necessary to get the job done. Assemblers must also have extensive knowledge of machines, especially troubleshooting and maintenance, and ensuring the quality of the items without compromising the standard safety regulations of the production.

What does an assembly technician do?

Assembly technicians are responsible for constructing small parts and components to create a new product according to the specifications of a client or a supervisor. An assembly technician performs diagnostic tests on the assembled product to ensure efficiency and conduct adjustments as needed. An assembly technician also provides manual instructional guides for product use and troubleshooting procedures. Assembly technicians must be knowledgeable about the technology and mechanical industry, as well as have the ability to analyze designs as a guide for creating high-quality products.

Assembler vs assembly technician salary

Assemblers and assembly technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

AssemblerAssembly Technician
Average salary$30,849$34,952
Salary rangeBetween $24,000 And $38,000Between $28,000 And $43,000
Highest paying CitySeattle, WASunnyvale, CA
Highest paying stateAlaskaWashington
Best paying companyJefferson LabJefferson Lab
Best paying industryAutomotiveFinance

Differences between assembler and assembly technician education

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

AssemblerAssembly Technician
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 49%High School Diploma, 34%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Assembler vs assembly technician demographics

Here are the differences between assemblers' and assembly technicians' demographics:

AssemblerAssembly Technician
Average age4449
Gender ratioMale, 59.1% Female, 40.9%Male, 75.7% Female, 24.3%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 12.6% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 9.1% White, 57.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 2.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 9.8% White, 60.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage5%6%

Differences between assembler and assembly technician duties and responsibilities

Assembler example responsibilities.

  • Utilize various hand tools, electronic measuring calipers, electrical meter gauges, and power tools.
  • Used math and reading skills to assemble speakers on assembly line while using various machines to create a finish product.
  • Attach slings, ropes, and cables to objects such as pipes, hoses, and bundles.
  • Assemble interior parts for Toyota automobiles.
  • Use of PLC software to program and de-bug small automate work cells.
  • Perform leak checks on HVAC, hydraulic systems, coolant system and fuel system.
  • Show more

Assembly technician example responsibilities.

  • Manage the flow of each pallet to ensure the group is able to produce the quality product.
  • Perform in microscope SMT hand soldering to IPC standards and rework BTC components.
  • Use proper electrical discharge PPE (personal protection equipment) in ESD zone properly to prevent unexpect incident or damage device.
  • Perform electro-mechanical tasks using a wide range of electronic equipment.
  • Install switches, gfi's.
  • Rework (complex wiring) to CCA's according to ECO's.
  • Show more

Assembler vs assembly technician skills

Common assembler skills
  • Assembly Line, 9%
  • Part Numbers, 7%
  • Dexterity, 7%
  • Basic Math, 7%
  • Math, 6%
  • Sub Assemblies, 5%
Common assembly technician skills
  • Customer Service, 26%
  • Hand Tools, 12%
  • Lean Manufacturing, 4%
  • Safety Procedures, 4%
  • Basic Math, 3%
  • Sub Assemblies, 3%

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