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Electrical engineer internship vs electrical technician

The differences between electrical engineer interns and electrical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an electrical engineer internship has an average salary of $63,398, which is higher than the $55,215 average annual salary of an electrical technician.

The top three skills for an electrical engineer internship include C++, analog and revit. The most important skills for an electrical technician are hand tools, PLC, and electrical equipment.

Electrical engineer internship vs electrical technician overview

Electrical Engineer InternshipElectrical Technician
Yearly salary$63,398$55,215
Hourly rate$30.48$26.55
Growth rate3%-
Number of jobs80,744127,792
Job satisfaction5-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 74%Associate Degree, 41%
Average age4550
Years of experience2-

What does an electrical engineer internship do?

The electrical engineer internship offers tasks to undergraduate engineering students related to electrical systems analysis and branch circuiting, site investigations, lighting calculations, and design drawings by complementing theoretical knowledge with practical duties on the job to gain experience and increase marketability. Through the internship, the undergraduate engineering students may develop professional aptitude, strengthen their character, and may increase their confidence in their work as it prepares them for what to expect in their field.

What does an electrical technician do?

An electrical technician is responsible for managing the electrical systems of an establishment, ensuring the safety of the network and cables to support daily operations. Electrical technicians analyze schematics and specifications to construct electrical systems, run diagnostic tests, and perform repairs for any defects and inconsistencies. They assemble electrical equipment, replace malfunctioning components, upgrading systems, and advising management of high-quality electrical supplies. An electrical technician must have excellent knowledge of the electrical and mechanical industry, especially with supervising electricians on their duties, as well as responding to the clients' inquiries and concerns.

Electrical engineer internship vs electrical technician salary

Electrical engineer interns and electrical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Electrical Engineer InternshipElectrical Technician
Average salary$63,398$55,215
Salary rangeBetween $44,000 And $90,000Between $37,000 And $80,000
Highest paying CityBellevue, WAPalo Alto, CA
Highest paying stateWashingtonVirginia
Best paying companyKLATexas Instruments
Best paying industryHospitalityEnergy

Differences between electrical engineer internship and electrical technician education

There are a few differences between an electrical engineer internship and an electrical technician in terms of educational background:

Electrical Engineer InternshipElectrical Technician
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 74%Associate Degree, 41%
Most common majorElectrical EngineeringElectrical Engineering
Most common collegeMichigan Technological University-

Electrical engineer internship vs electrical technician demographics

Here are the differences between electrical engineer interns' and electrical technicians' demographics:

Electrical Engineer InternshipElectrical Technician
Average age4550
Gender ratioMale, 86.9% Female, 13.1%Male, 93.3% Female, 6.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 19.7% White, 59.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%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%
LGBT Percentage6%8%

Differences between electrical engineer internship and electrical technician duties and responsibilities

Electrical engineer internship example responsibilities.

  • Coordinate with senior electrical engineers and achieve hands-on experience on coal fire plant power generation and power transformers, circuit breakers.
  • Design hardware and firmware for HVAC user interface project.
  • Board interface Wiznet TCP/IP chip and Ethernet switch controllers.
  • Debug and repair malfunction circuits boards used to control custom scientific apparatus.
  • Prepare engineering specifications, schematics, and bill of materials (BOM).
  • Provide a study of the cost saving of using solar power versus ac power.
  • Show more

Electrical technician example responsibilities.

  • Test printed circuit boards to comply with military, ISO, and customer specifications.
  • Inspect, test and troubleshoot a variety of PLC and microprocessor control high voltage transformer systems.
  • Work in accordance with OSHA safety regulation, NEC, ANSI, ISO9001 compliance and with company safety policies.
  • Work with proximity sensors, ac & dc motors, VFDs, and controls on a daily basis here.
  • Install EMT risers in new buildings for communications.
  • Work on equipment using CNET, DNET, and Ethernet.
  • Show more

Electrical engineer internship vs electrical technician skills

Common electrical engineer internship skills
  • C++, 6%
  • Analog, 5%
  • Revit, 5%
  • CAD, 5%
  • PowerPoint, 5%
  • RF, 4%
Common electrical technician skills
  • Hand Tools, 7%
  • PLC, 7%
  • Electrical Equipment, 7%
  • Electrical Systems, 6%
  • Electrical Schematics, 4%
  • Control Systems, 4%

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