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The differences between electrical controls technicians and electrician technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 8-10 years to become an electrical controls technician, becoming an electrician technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, an electrical controls technician has an average salary of $61,087, which is higher than the $57,813 average annual salary of an electrician technician.
The top three skills for an electrical controls technician include PLC, allen-bradley and electrical equipment. The most important skills for an electrician technician are PLC, hand tools, and electrical systems.
| Electrical Controls Technician | Electrician Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $61,087 | $57,813 |
| Hourly rate | $29.37 | $27.79 |
| Growth rate | - | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 42,521 | 112,907 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 59% | Associate Degree, 42% |
| Average age | 50 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 12 |
Electrical control technicians usually assist with running equipment such as those in amusement parks and carnivals. They can also repair equipment and are responsible for maintaining robotic machinery used by factories and plants for continuity of work and production. They can also install electrical wirings, troubleshoot minor glitches, and maintain good machine performance. With enough skills, they can shut down faulty wiring without interrupting other operations. They keep records of previous malfunctions and advise on the replacement of equipment.
The main duties of an electrical technician involve the assembly, evaluation, testing, and maintenance of electronic or electrical wiring and equipment. Sometimes, electrical technicians can take the role of electrical engineers or electricians. They may perform the duties of residential, telecommunications, and inside electricians. They may also work on-site for the efficient functionality of specialty equipment and machinery. The technicians are expected to have mechanical aptitude, reading comprehension, problem-solving skills, and customer service skills.
Electrical controls technicians and electrician technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electrical Controls Technician | Electrician Technician | |
| Average salary | $61,087 | $57,813 |
| Salary range | Between $45,000 And $81,000 | Between $42,000 And $77,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fremont, CA | Atwater, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Bunge | Nabors Industries |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between an electrical controls technician and an electrician technician in terms of educational background:
| Electrical Controls Technician | Electrician Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 59% | Associate Degree, 42% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering Technology |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | - |
Here are the differences between electrical controls technicians' and electrician technicians' demographics:
| Electrical Controls Technician | Electrician Technician | |
| Average age | 50 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.4% Female, 3.6% | Male, 96.0% Female, 4.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 8.0% White, 70.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 21.0% Asian, 2.2% White, 63.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 3% |