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The differences between bio medical technicians and clinical engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a bio medical technician, becoming a clinical engineer takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a clinical engineer has an average salary of $75,883, which is higher than the $60,490 average annual salary of a bio medical technician.
The top three skills for a bio medical technician include patients, OSHA and hand tools. The most important skills for a clinical engineer are patient care, medical devices, and patients.
| BIO Medical Technician | Clinical Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $60,490 | $75,883 |
| Hourly rate | $29.08 | $36.48 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 108,555 | 80,770 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 44 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
A biomedical technician is responsible for installing, repairing, and maintaining biomedical equipment. Your day-to-day duties include testing and calibrating parts, performing preventative maintenance on medical equipment to ensure patients receive high-quality service and treatment, and directing the operation of biomedical equipment. As a biomedical technician, it is your responsibility to keep this equipment in good condition by performing tests and following best practices for preventative maintenance. You are also responsible for maintaining a safe and healthy work environment.
A clinical engineer is responsible for designing and creating medical equipment and technology for medical procedures and examinations. Clinical engineers maintain and inspect the performance of machinery regularly to ensure the accuracy of results and prevent potential hazards. They also conduct quality control tests to locate system failures and perform immediate troubleshooting as necessary. A clinical engineer must have excellent communication and technical skills, especially in identifying the most needed equipment for treating and diagnosing patients.
Bio medical technicians and clinical engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| BIO Medical Technician | Clinical Engineer | |
| Average salary | $60,490 | $75,883 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $91,000 | Between $55,000 And $102,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Redwood City, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Regeneron |
| Best paying industry | - | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a bio medical technician and a clinical engineer in terms of educational background:
| BIO Medical Technician | Clinical Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Biomedical Engineering |
| Most common college | Purdue University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between bio medical technicians' and clinical engineers' demographics:
| BIO Medical Technician | Clinical Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 76.5% Female, 23.5% | Male, 77.3% Female, 22.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 12.0% White, 54.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.0% Asian, 14.1% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 13% |