Circuit tester vs mechanical inspector

The differences between circuit testers and mechanical inspectors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a mechanical inspector has an average salary of $49,727, which is higher than the $49,553 average annual salary of a circuit tester.

The top three skills for a circuit tester include circuit board assembly, test equipment and RF. The most important skills for a mechanical inspector are calipers, micrometers, and mechanical inspection.

Circuit tester vs mechanical inspector overview

	Circuit Tester	Mechanical Inspector
Yearly salary	$49,553	$49,727
Hourly rate	$23.82	$23.91
Growth rate	-3%	-3%
Number of jobs	7,390	33,863
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	Associate Degree, 30%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	-	-

Circuit tester vs mechanical inspector salary

Circuit testers and mechanical inspectors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Circuit Tester	Mechanical Inspector
Average salary	$49,553	$49,727
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $98,000	Between $36,000 And $67,000
Highest paying City	-	Omaha, NE
Highest paying state	-	Connecticut
Best paying company	-	PBF Energy
Best paying industry	-	Government

Differences between circuit tester and mechanical inspector education

There are a few differences between a circuit tester and a mechanical inspector in terms of educational background:

	Circuit Tester	Mechanical Inspector
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 39%	Associate Degree, 30%
Most common major	Electrical Engineering	Mechanical Engineering
Most common college	-	-

Circuit tester vs mechanical inspector demographics

Here are the differences between circuit testers' and mechanical inspectors' demographics:

	Circuit Tester	Mechanical Inspector
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 70.9% Female, 29.1%	Male, 91.8% Female, 8.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 9.4% White, 58.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 20.4% Asian, 8.1% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between circuit tester and mechanical inspector duties and responsibilities

Circuit tester example responsibilities.

Operate and troubleshot prototype LTE UE.
Perform E911 calls and assist the engineers in optimizing the data in both remote and urban areas.
Test performance and troubleshot issues of electromechanical assemblies and analysis system.
Contract trough Adecco a staffing agency.

Mechanical inspector example responsibilities.

Inspect parts to blueprints using all measuring equipment; micrometer, surface plate, calipers, customer certifications and P.O.
Review vendor supply certifications and first article inspection reports for accurate completion of documentation.
Draft ISO's as needed.
Adhere to FDA and ISO compliance.
Assemble composite assemblies in jigs.
Program and operate Mitutoyo CMM.

Circuit tester vs mechanical inspector skills

Common circuit tester skills

Circuit Board Assembly, 27%
Test Equipment, 18%
RF, 18%
Trouble Tickets, 6%
In-Circuit, 5%
Test Fixtures, 5%

Common mechanical inspector skills

Calipers, 10%
Micrometers, 9%
Mechanical Inspection, 8%
GD, 6%
Engineering Drawings, 6%
Aerospace, 4%