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The differences between automation engineering technicians and senior manufacturing 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 manufacturing technician. Additionally, an automation engineering technician has an average salary of $89,591, which is higher than the $53,077 average annual salary of a senior manufacturing technician.
The top three skills for an automation engineering technician include PLC, HMI and automation engineering. The most important skills for a senior manufacturing technician are troubleshoot, harvest, and GMP.
| Automation Engineering Technician | Senior Manufacturing Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $89,591 | $53,077 |
| Hourly rate | $43.07 | $25.52 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 81,592 | 53,820 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 45% |
| 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 manufacturing technician is responsible for the manufacturing of commercial products of the company. You have to troubleshoot problems and provide necessary solutions with your creative skills. You also need to have an associate degree to apply for this job. You must have gained proficiency in the manufacturing industry. The job also requires you to maintain a consistent record of production. To qualify for this post, you need to have five to seven years of related experience. In this job, you have to train and maintain new technicians as well. You must be proficient in reading diagrams and understanding the blueprints of manufacturing.
Automation engineering technicians and senior manufacturing technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Automation Engineering Technician | Senior Manufacturing Technician | |
| Average salary | $89,591 | $53,077 |
| Salary range | Between $66,000 And $121,000 | Between $38,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Fremont, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | - | Boehringer Ingelheim |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between an automation engineering technician and a senior manufacturing technician in terms of educational background:
| Automation Engineering Technician | Senior Manufacturing Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 45% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Purdue University | Purdue University |
Here are the differences between automation engineering technicians' and senior manufacturing technicians' demographics:
| Automation Engineering Technician | Senior Manufacturing Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.7% Female, 5.3% | Male, 80.8% Female, 19.2% |
| 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, 8.2% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 11.7% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |