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Building maintenance technician vs preventive maintenance technician

The differences between building maintenance technicians and preventive maintenance technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a building maintenance technician and a preventive maintenance technician. Additionally, a preventive maintenance technician has an average salary of $40,935, which is higher than the $40,065 average annual salary of a building maintenance technician.

The top three skills for a building maintenance technician include plumbing, HVAC and ladders. The most important skills for a preventive maintenance technician are customer service, hand tools, and HVAC.

Building maintenance technician vs preventive maintenance technician overview

Building Maintenance TechnicianPreventive Maintenance Technician
Yearly salary$40,065$40,935
Hourly rate$19.26$19.68
Growth rate5%5%
Number of jobs159,634170,517
Job satisfaction5-
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 32%Associate Degree, 31%
Average age4747
Years of experience44

What does a building maintenance technician do?

A building maintenance technician is an individual who takes responsibility for keeping the repair tools and other supplies in good condition. Building maintenance technicians make sure that a facility operates pretty well. The technicians need to familiarize the security of the buildings. They maintain buildings through repairs and safety checks. It is their job to care for industrial and commercial facilities and determine maintenance needs. Some of them are in charge of the landscape and perform primary janitorial work.

What does a preventive maintenance technician do?

A preventive maintenance technician performs routine facility maintenance to prevent possible mechanical failure. The technicians change worn out machine parts before they can cause mechanical damage. They keep the facility operating. It is their job to conduct quality assessments, maintain inventory, and schedule repairs. Also, they see to it that machines are up and running at all times. They are expected to be equipped with skills in customer service, problem-solving, reading comprehension, business operation, and mechanical aptitude.

Building maintenance technician vs preventive maintenance technician salary

Building maintenance technicians and preventive maintenance technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Building Maintenance TechnicianPreventive Maintenance Technician
Average salary$40,065$40,935
Salary rangeBetween $30,000 And $52,000Between $31,000 And $52,000
Highest paying CityAnchorage, AKOwatonna, MN
Highest paying stateAlaskaAlaska
Best paying companyVanderbilt University Medical CenterKiewit
Best paying industryManufacturingAutomotive

Differences between building maintenance technician and preventive maintenance technician education

There are a few differences between a building maintenance technician and a preventive maintenance technician in terms of educational background:

Building Maintenance TechnicianPreventive Maintenance Technician
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 32%Associate Degree, 31%
Most common majorBusinessAutomotive Technology
Most common college--

Building maintenance technician vs preventive maintenance technician demographics

Here are the differences between building maintenance technicians' and preventive maintenance technicians' demographics:

Building Maintenance TechnicianPreventive Maintenance Technician
Average age4747
Gender ratioMale, 95.7% Female, 4.3%Male, 91.8% Female, 8.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.8% Asian, 4.6% White, 59.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 4.6% White, 59.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage2%2%

Differences between building maintenance technician and preventive maintenance technician duties and responsibilities

Building maintenance technician example responsibilities.

  • Maintain and repair plumbing systems and accessories and perform maintenance of HVAC peripheral utility equipment.
  • Set up ladders to work above grind level.
  • Engage understanding of city OSHA and other compliance standards, guidelines, and issues
  • Follow OSHA standards at all times to ensure that a safe workplace are maintained
  • Used various tools, including but not limit to: drills, saws, hammers, screwdrivers, sanders and ladders.
  • Perform preventative maintenance on HVAC and refrigeration systems.
  • Show more

Preventive maintenance technician example responsibilities.

  • Initiate and implement first preventative maintenance program for CNC, mills and lathes for the maintenance dept.
  • Control circuit and PLC installation and programming.
  • Climb poles, ladders and other structures as needed.
  • Train and knowledgeable of OSHA's rules and regulations.
  • Insure vehicle are meeting all safety guidelines as set for by ANSI and OSHA.
  • Assist higher-level heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) mechanics.
  • Show more

Building maintenance technician vs preventive maintenance technician skills

Common building maintenance technician skills
  • Plumbing, 13%
  • HVAC, 8%
  • Ladders, 8%
  • Customer Service, 7%
  • OSHA, 5%
  • Dexterity, 5%
Common preventive maintenance technician skills
  • Customer Service, 18%
  • Hand Tools, 8%
  • HVAC, 8%
  • Dishwashers, 6%
  • Plumbing, 5%
  • Water Filters, 4%

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