Circuit board assembler vs mechanical assembler

The differences between circuit board assemblers and mechanical assemblers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a mechanical assembler has an average salary of $33,553, which is higher than the $31,825 average annual salary of a circuit board assembler.

The top three skills for a circuit board assembler include hand tools, through-hole and PCB. The most important skills for a mechanical assembler are hand tools, sub assemblies, and dexterity.

Circuit board assembler vs mechanical assembler overview

	Circuit Board Assembler	Mechanical Assembler
Yearly salary	$31,825	$33,553
Hourly rate	$15.30	$16.13
Growth rate	-	2%
Number of jobs	18,512	35,720
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 36%	High School Diploma, 37%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	-	-

Circuit board assembler vs mechanical assembler salary

Circuit board assemblers and mechanical assemblers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Circuit Board Assembler	Mechanical Assembler
Average salary	$31,825	$33,553
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $40,000	Between $27,000 And $41,000
Highest paying City	Beaverton, OR	Newark, CA
Highest paying state	Arizona	Rhode Island
Best paying company	Rockwell Automation	Danaher
Best paying industry	Technology	Finance

Differences between circuit board assembler and mechanical assembler education

There are a few differences between a circuit board assembler and a mechanical assembler in terms of educational background:

	Circuit Board Assembler	Mechanical Assembler
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 36%	High School Diploma, 37%
Most common major	Electrical Engineering	Electrical Engineering
Most common college	-	-

Circuit board assembler vs mechanical assembler demographics

Here are the differences between circuit board assemblers' and mechanical assemblers' demographics:

	Circuit Board Assembler	Mechanical Assembler
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 52.9% Female, 47.1%	Male, 80.8% Female, 19.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 2.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.0% Asian, 9.3% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 2.6% Hispanic or Latino, 20.7% Asian, 12.2% White, 55.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between circuit board assembler and mechanical assembler duties and responsibilities

Circuit board assembler example responsibilities.

Enforce ISO and IPC quality standards for producing and handling product.
Expose PCB image on photoresist.
Train in ESD avoidance procedures.
Test PCB electronic components for defects.
Practice ESD, FOD, and safety regulations according to company policy.
Measure parts to determine tolerances by using precision measuring instruments such as micrometers and calipers.

Mechanical assembler example responsibilities.

Hand place and assemble components such as transformers, resistors, transistors, capacitors, and integrate circuits.
Assemble cable and harness units in a line environment utilizing manual dexterity.
Solder electronic componentry to PCB board such as resisters, capacitors, diodes, connectors, etc.
Assemble pc boards with resistors diodes transformers potentiometers and other components require for the wave solder machine to mass produce.
Demonstrate manual dexterity as it relates to detail assembly processes.
Utilize hoists and rigging to facilitate assembly.

Circuit board assembler vs mechanical assembler skills

Common circuit board assembler skills

Hand Tools, 18%
Through-Hole, 17%
PCB, 10%
Soldering Irons, 6%
Hand Solder, 6%
ESD, 5%

Common mechanical assembler skills

Hand Tools, 10%
Sub Assemblies, 8%
Dexterity, 6%
Assembly Operations, 5%
Calipers, 5%
Math, 4%

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Circuit Board Assembler
Circuit Board Assembler vs Mechanical Assembler

Updated January 8, 2025

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