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The differences between assembly & test technicians and bench technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both an assembly & test technician and a bench technician. Additionally, a bench technician has an average salary of $41,317, which is higher than the $38,774 average annual salary of an assembly & test technician.
The top three skills for an assembly & test technician include mechanical assembly, aerospace and dexterity. The most important skills for a bench technician are troubleshoot, PC, and windows.
| Assembly & Test Technician | Bench Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $38,774 | $41,317 |
| Hourly rate | $18.64 | $19.86 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 64,354 | 79,375 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 47% | Associate Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
An assembly & test technician works at manufacturing facilities where they are in charge of assembling product components and subjecting them to various tests, ensuring compliance with standards and regulations. Although the extent of their responsibilities depends on their organization of employment, it usually includes understanding diagrams and project requirements, establishing and implementing test parameters, operating tools and equipment, maintaining records, and producing detailed reports. There are also times when they must coordinate with quality control teams, working together in a joint effort to improve production processes and results.
A Bench Technician specializes in installing, maintaining, and repairing electronic equipment and machinery. Although the extent of their responsibilities primarily depends on their place or employment industry, it typically includes conducting inspections and assessments, programming and troubleshooting systems, replacing and fixing components, and producing progress reports as needed. Moreover, a Bench Technician must maintain an active communication line with co-workers while adhering to its safety standards and regulations for a safe and efficient work environment.
Assembly & test technicians and bench technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Assembly & Test Technician | Bench Technician | |
| Average salary | $38,774 | $41,317 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $49,000 | Between $29,000 And $57,000 |
| Highest paying City | Beverly, MA | - |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | - |
| Best paying company | BWX Technologies | - |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | - |
There are a few differences between an assembly & test technician and a bench technician in terms of educational background:
| Assembly & Test Technician | Bench Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 47% | Associate Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Northeastern University |
Here are the differences between assembly & test technicians' and bench technicians' demographics:
| Assembly & Test Technician | Bench Technician | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.4% Female, 14.6% | Male, 89.4% Female, 10.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 8.0% White, 70.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 8.0% White, 70.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |