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The differences between automation engineering technicians and senior process 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 process technician. Additionally, an automation engineering technician has an average salary of $89,591, which is higher than the $77,354 average annual salary of a senior process technician.
The top three skills for an automation engineering technician include PLC, HMI and automation engineering. The most important skills for a senior process technician are OSHA, SR, and management system.
| Automation Engineering Technician | Senior Process Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $89,591 | $77,354 |
| Hourly rate | $43.07 | $37.19 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 81,592 | 49,260 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| 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 process technician collects data through various experiments aimed at supporting the optimization of processes. They are tasked with testing existing technology, advising ways to boost production, and instituting new technology where necessary. Their other responsibilities include validating production equipment, planning and performing setups, monitoring and guiding production teams, conducting process test runs, and providing insights, technical assistance, and recommendations to engineering and process development personnel.
Automation engineering technicians and senior process technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Automation Engineering Technician | Senior Process Technician | |
| Average salary | $89,591 | $77,354 |
| Salary range | Between $66,000 And $121,000 | Between $46,000 And $128,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | - |
| Highest paying state | - | - |
| Best paying company | - | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between an automation engineering technician and a senior process technician in terms of educational background:
| Automation Engineering Technician | Senior Process Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Purdue University | Purdue University |
Here are the differences between automation engineering technicians' and senior process technicians' demographics:
| Automation Engineering Technician | Senior Process Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.7% Female, 5.3% | Male, 74.2% Female, 25.8% |
| 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, 9.3% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 9.1% White, 59.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |