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The differences between electrical engineering technicians and electrical controls technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 8-10 years to become both an electrical engineering technician and an electrical controls technician. Additionally, an electrical controls technician has an average salary of $61,087, which is higher than the $56,704 average annual salary of an electrical engineering technician.
The top three skills for an electrical engineering technician include test equipment, PLC and CAD. The most important skills for an electrical controls technician are PLC, allen-bradley, and electrical equipment.
| Electrical Engineering Technician | Electrical Controls Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $56,704 | $61,087 |
| Hourly rate | $27.26 | $29.37 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 133,838 | 42,521 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 43% | Associate Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 10 |
An electrical engineering technician is responsible for evaluating and designing electrical systems and improving the control equipment to support business functions and operations. Electrical engineering technicians assemble and install components by analyzing blueprints and schematics accurately. They also strategize cost-reduction techniques without compromising the quality standards, requiring them to negotiate with trusted suppliers and vendors for tools and materials needed for the production. An electrical engineering technician monitors the conceptualization of layout designs until the final output launch to ensure stability and prevent downtimes.
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.
Electrical engineering technicians and electrical controls technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electrical Engineering Technician | Electrical Controls Technician | |
| Average salary | $56,704 | $61,087 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $76,000 | Between $45,000 And $81,000 |
| Highest paying City | Walnut Creek, CA | Fremont, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Applied Materials | Bunge |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Technology |
There are a few differences between an electrical engineering technician and an electrical controls technician in terms of educational background:
| Electrical Engineering Technician | Electrical Controls Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 43% | Associate Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Northeastern University |
Here are the differences between electrical engineering technicians' and electrical controls technicians' demographics:
| Electrical Engineering Technician | Electrical Controls Technician | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.1% Female, 8.9% | Male, 96.4% Female, 3.6% |
| 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, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 8.0% White, 70.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |