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The differences between commercial service technicians and preventive maintenance technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a commercial service technician, becoming a preventive maintenance technician takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a commercial service technician has an average salary of $49,463, which is higher than the $40,935 average annual salary of a preventive maintenance technician.
The top three skills for a commercial service technician include OSHA, service vehicle and ladders. The most important skills for a preventive maintenance technician are customer service, hand tools, and HVAC.
| Commercial Service Technician | Preventive Maintenance Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $49,463 | $40,935 |
| Hourly rate | $23.78 | $19.68 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 216,958 | 170,517 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 29% | Associate Degree, 31% |
| Average age | 44 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
A commercial service technician is responsible for maintaining and repairing mechanical equipment and machinery for private households and commercial establishments. Commercial service technicians inspect the conditions and stability of mechanical components to identify defects and possible part replacements. They also install and assemble equipment, requiring them to have critical analysis to follow blueprints and schematics. A commercial service technician must have excellent mechanical and organizational skills, especially in recommending efficient resources and prevent breakdown reoccurrence.
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.
Commercial service technicians and preventive maintenance technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Commercial Service Technician | Preventive Maintenance Technician | |
| Average salary | $49,463 | $40,935 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $74,000 | Between $31,000 And $52,000 |
| Highest paying City | Broken Arrow, OK | Owatonna, MN |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Alaska |
| Best paying company | SoCalGas | Kiewit |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a commercial service technician and a preventive maintenance technician in terms of educational background:
| Commercial Service Technician | Preventive Maintenance Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 29% | Associate Degree, 31% |
| Most common major | Heating And Air Conditioning | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between commercial service technicians' and preventive maintenance technicians' demographics:
| Commercial Service Technician | Preventive Maintenance Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.6% Female, 3.4% | Male, 91.8% Female, 8.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.0% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 1.7% White, 73.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | 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 Percentage | 1% | 2% |