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The differences between automation engineering technicians and senior engineering technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an automation engineering technician and a senior engineering technician. Additionally, an automation engineering technician has an average salary of $89,591, which is higher than the $88,615 average annual salary of a senior engineering technician.
The top three skills for an automation engineering technician include PLC, HMI and automation engineering. The most important skills for a senior engineering technician are java, SR, and emerging technologies.
| Automation Engineering Technician | Senior Engineering Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $89,591 | $88,615 |
| Hourly rate | $43.07 | $42.60 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 81,592 | 94,734 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An automation engineer technician specializes in developing and maintaining automated systems in various industries. They are responsible for responding to reports involving complex issues, inspecting systems, troubleshooting problems, replacing or fixing parts, and maintaining extensive records. They may also perform regular maintenance checks, develop and implement test structures, perform upgrades and modifications, establish guidelines, and communicate directly with clients in an effort to solve issues and concerns. Moreover, they provide technical support to staff, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
A Senior Engineering Technician uses the technical principles of engineering to create and develop a project or product. They also provide technical assistance to professional engineering staff on special projects.
Automation engineering technicians and senior engineering technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Automation Engineering Technician | Senior Engineering Technician | |
| Average salary | $89,591 | $88,615 |
| Salary range | Between $66,000 And $121,000 | Between $63,000 And $123,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Idaho |
| Best paying company | - | CrowdStrike |
| Best paying industry | - | Energy |
There are a few differences between an automation engineering technician and a senior engineering technician in terms of educational background:
| Automation Engineering Technician | Senior Engineering Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Purdue University | Purdue University |
Here are the differences between automation engineering technicians' and senior engineering technicians' demographics:
| Automation Engineering Technician | Senior Engineering Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.7% Female, 5.3% | Male, 88.5% Female, 11.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 7.6% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 11.3% White, 58.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |