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The differences between avionics technicians and technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an avionics technician, becoming a technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an avionics technician has an average salary of $55,545, which is higher than the $38,045 average annual salary of a technician.
The top three skills for an avionics technician include FAA, hand tools and electrical systems. The most important skills for a technician are patients, customer service, and patient care.
| Avionics Technician | Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $55,545 | $38,045 |
| Hourly rate | $26.70 | $18.29 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 25,603 | 596,842 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 2 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| Average age | 33 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
An avionics technician specializes in the installation, maintenance, and repair of aircraft tools and devices such as navigation, radar, radio, and other systems. They are primarily responsible for conducting regular testing and inspections for all devices, documenting every repair or change, replacing every defective or malfunctioning part, and assembling complex components. Furthermore, there are instances when technicians are required to weld and solder, even climb high places, during repairs.
Technicians are skilled professionals who primarily work with technology in different industries. They are knowledgeable about the technical aspects of the various items they work with. They are usually working with electricity or with technological advancements. Technicians may be assigned to do the construction of equipment or materials related to their field of study. They may also be assigned to conduct diagnostics and other maintenance activities to ensure that the equipment works properly. Technicians may also be required to conduct basic repairs in case of problems. It is important that technicians have good analytical skills and decision-making skills.
Avionics technicians and technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Avionics Technician | Technician | |
| Average salary | $55,545 | $38,045 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $75,000 | Between $24,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | Everett, WA | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Aerotek | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between an avionics technician and a technician in terms of educational background:
| Avionics Technician | Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | Purdue University | - |
Here are the differences between avionics technicians' and technicians' demographics:
| Avionics Technician | Technician | |
| Average age | 33 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.7% Female, 8.3% | Male, 75.2% Female, 24.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 6.6% Hispanic or Latino, 27.5% Asian, 5.4% White, 52.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 4.9% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 14% | 2% |