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The differences between building technicians and building engineers 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 technician and a building engineer. Additionally, a building engineer has an average salary of $76,446, which is higher than the $46,250 average annual salary of a building technician.
The top three skills for a building technician include plumbing, HVAC and building maintenance. The most important skills for a building engineer are HVAC, ladders, and plumbing.
| Building Technician | Building Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $46,250 | $76,446 |
| Hourly rate | $22.24 | $36.75 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 97,697 | 13,440 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 31% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A building technician plays a vital role in the success of construction projects. They provide support to construction managers, architects, and other workers in conducting regular site inspections, determining construction requirements, estimating costs, reaching out and negotiating with suppliers, evaluating materials, and purchasing supplies. In some companies, a building technician performs regular maintenance checks on facilities and equipment, conducting repairs and replacements when necessary. There are also times when they manage a team of workers, supervising their performance to ensure an efficient workflow.
The job of building engineers is to provide advice on design, installation, and maintenance of energy-efficient and cost-effective systems for all building services, including lighting, water, and air conditioning. These professionals are responsible for the distribution of water supply and electricity and resolving tenants' maintenance problems such as plumbing and electrical systems. Additional duties of the building engineers include conducting tests on systems, ensuring compliance with health and safety requirements, and liaising with construction professionals like surveyors and electricians.
Building technicians and building engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Building Technician | Building Engineer | |
| Average salary | $46,250 | $76,446 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $69,000 | Between $49,000 And $116,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | California |
| Best paying company | IBM | Apple |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Technology |
There are a few differences between a building technician and a building engineer in terms of educational background:
| Building Technician | Building Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 31% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| Most common major | Business | Heating And Air Conditioning |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between building technicians' and building engineers' demographics:
| Building Technician | Building Engineer | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.4% Female, 14.6% | Male, 94.6% Female, 5.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 4.6% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.2% Asian, 4.5% White, 59.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |