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Control electrician vs wiring technician

The differences between control electricians and wiring technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a control electrician and a wiring technician. Additionally, a control electrician has an average salary of $59,247, which is higher than the $38,136 average annual salary of a wiring technician.

The top three skills for a control electrician include PLC, electrical equipment and hand tools. The most important skills for a wiring technician are hand tools, safety procedures, and control panels.

Control electrician vs wiring technician overview

Control ElectricianWiring Technician
Yearly salary$59,247$38,136
Hourly rate$28.48$18.33
Growth rate7%7%
Number of jobs46,94962,667
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 43%Associate Degree, 30%
Average age4242
Years of experience1212

What does a control electrician do?

A control electrician primarily installs, repairs, and maintains electrical equipment, fixtures, and wiring. Control electricians maintain serviced and programmed PLC machine and lighting systems. Their tasks may include installing or servicing intercom systems, electrical control systems, or street lights. They make sure that their work complies with the significant codes. Part of their job is to operate power hand tools as well as other electrical equipment. Also, they may work on the external and internal electrical systems including circuit breaker panels and emergency generator circuits.

What does a wiring technician do?

Wiring technicians install and conduct maintenance on wiring in electronic products. They are responsible for ensuring that machines are in working condition, and they continuously review products to ensure only good products are released to customers. They must have the ability to understand wiring schematics.

Control electrician vs wiring technician salary

Control electricians and wiring technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Control ElectricianWiring Technician
Average salary$59,247$38,136
Salary rangeBetween $43,000 And $81,000Between $28,000 And $50,000
Highest paying City-Everett, WA
Highest paying state-Hawaii
Best paying company-Schneider Electric Industrial Services
Best paying industry-Finance

Differences between control electrician and wiring technician education

There are a few differences between a control electrician and a wiring technician in terms of educational background:

Control ElectricianWiring Technician
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 43%Associate Degree, 30%
Most common majorElectrical Engineering TechnologyElectrical Engineering
Most common college--

Control electrician vs wiring technician demographics

Here are the differences between control electricians' and wiring technicians' demographics:

Control ElectricianWiring Technician
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 97.3% Female, 2.7%Male, 86.9% Female, 13.1%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 2.2% White, 66.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.3% Asian, 2.2% White, 66.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage3%3%

Differences between control electrician and wiring technician duties and responsibilities

Control electrician example responsibilities.

  • Install electrical conduit (e.g., rigid and EMT piping) and commercial HVAC systems.
  • Inspect, diagnose and repair substations and motor control centers, Allen-Bradley PLC's and ac/dc drives.
  • Bend and install EMT, rigid, PVC, boxes, cabinets, and gutters.
  • Pull wire, hang cable tray, runconduit (robroy, rigid, emt).
  • Develop HMI applications using Wonderware Intouch.
  • Design motor controls to NEC code.
  • Show more

Wiring technician example responsibilities.

  • Install, manage, and troubleshoot CAT3, CAT5, CAT6, and fiber optic infrastructures throughout the greater Tulsa area.
  • Full knowledge of cable installation and repair including quad, cat5, cat6, coax, aerial and bury service wire.
  • Install IPTV systems in residences and businesses.
  • Establish and troubleshoot wireless and Ethernet networks.
  • Configure modems, routers and Ethernet switches.
  • Wire custom switchboards and panels per schematics and wiring diagrams
  • Show more

Control electrician vs wiring technician skills

Common control electrician skills
  • PLC, 14%
  • Electrical Equipment, 11%
  • Hand Tools, 8%
  • Ac Dc, 5%
  • Control Panels, 5%
  • Delta, 5%
Common wiring technician skills
  • Hand Tools, 25%
  • Safety Procedures, 6%
  • Control Panels, 5%
  • Fiber Optic, 5%
  • Electrical Components, 5%
  • Wire Harnesses, 4%

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