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The differences between electrical engineering technicians and engineering 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 engineering technician, becoming an engineering technician takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an engineering technician has an average salary of $60,273, 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 engineering technician are technical support, data collection, and test equipment.
| Electrical Engineering Technician | Engineering Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $56,704 | $60,273 |
| Hourly rate | $27.26 | $28.98 |
| Growth rate | - | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 133,838 | 111,343 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 50 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 10 | 4 |
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.
An Engineering Technician's duties vary according to the industry or company, whether mechanical, industrial, civil, agricultural, or more. However, most of the time, the responsibilities often revolve around resolving technical issues, working with and assisting Engineers in building, assembling, designing, gathering and testing data, and conducting more manual activities. Furthermore, Engineering Technicians can specialize and work in various fields after a certain training period, closely mentored or monitored by an engineer or someone with extensive expertise.
Electrical engineering technicians and engineering technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electrical Engineering Technician | Engineering Technician | |
| Average salary | $56,704 | $60,273 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $76,000 | Between $37,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | Walnut Creek, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Washington |
| Best paying company | Applied Materials | Western Digital |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Technology |
There are a few differences between an electrical engineering technician and an engineering technician in terms of educational background:
| Electrical Engineering Technician | Engineering Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Purdue University |
Here are the differences between electrical engineering technicians' and engineering technicians' demographics:
| Electrical Engineering Technician | Engineering Technician | |
| Average age | 50 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.1% Female, 8.9% | Male, 85.9% Female, 14.1% |
| 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, 9.5% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 9.2% White, 59.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 6% |