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The differences between avionics engineers and 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 avionics engineer and an engineering technician. Additionally, an avionics engineer has an average salary of $95,470, which is higher than the $60,273 average annual salary of an engineering technician.
The top three skills for an avionics engineer include FAA, avionics systems and electrical systems. The most important skills for an engineering technician are technical support, data collection, and test equipment.
| Avionics Engineer | Engineering Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $95,470 | $60,273 |
| Hourly rate | $45.90 | $28.98 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 30,744 | 111,343 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 44 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Avionics Engineers are responsible for the design and development of avionics systems. They are involved in implementing economic and innovative techniques for avionic systems manufacturing, testing all parts and systems, rectifying faulty parts, and scheduling maintenance and inspection. They also prepare progress reports to update stakeholders involved, assist in proposals and bid preparation, and develop training programs for their junior engineering staff. Avionics Engineers must always comply with government regulations and industry best practices.
An Engineering Technician's duties vary according to the industry or company, whether mechanical, industrial, civil, agricultural, or more. However, most of the time, the responsibilities often revolve around resolving technical issues, working with and assisting Engineers in building, assembling, designing, gathering and testing data, and conducting more manual activities. Furthermore, Engineering Technicians can specialize and work in various fields after a certain training period, closely mentored or monitored by an engineer or someone with extensive expertise.
Avionics engineers and engineering technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Avionics Engineer | Engineering Technician | |
| Average salary | $95,470 | $60,273 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $135,000 | Between $37,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | Englewood, CO | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Colorado | Washington |
| Best paying company | Allegiant International | Western Digital |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Technology |
There are a few differences between an avionics engineer and an engineering technician in terms of educational background:
| Avionics Engineer | Engineering Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Purdue University |
Here are the differences between avionics engineers' and engineering technicians' demographics:
| Avionics Engineer | Engineering Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.4% Female, 7.6% | Male, 85.9% Female, 14.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 11.0% White, 69.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 9.2% White, 59.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 6% |