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Electrical journeyman vs electrical technician

The differences between electrical journeymen and electrical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an electrical journeyman has an average salary of $61,940, which is higher than the $55,215 average annual salary of an electrical technician.

The top three skills for an electrical journeyman include switches, hand tools and EMT. The most important skills for an electrical technician are hand tools, PLC, and electrical equipment.

Electrical journeyman vs electrical technician overview

Electrical JourneymanElectrical Technician
Yearly salary$61,940$55,215
Hourly rate$29.78$26.55
Growth rate7%-
Number of jobs39,898127,792
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 41%Associate Degree, 41%
Average age4250
Years of experience12-

What does an electrical journeyman do?

Electrical journeymen have the primary responsibility of installing, repairing, and maintaining electrical equipment. They provide their services directly to customers, explaining the extent of the equipment damage and explaining the equipment's proper usage and correct cleaning. They can also train an apprentice who aspires to be a future electrician too. A journeyman may monitor supply count, record inventories, order missing, essential supplies, and make sure the supply is safe to use.

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 journeyman vs electrical technician salary

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

Electrical JourneymanElectrical Technician
Average salary$61,940$55,215
Salary rangeBetween $43,000 And $87,000Between $37,000 And $80,000
Highest paying CityBellingham, WAPalo Alto, CA
Highest paying stateWashingtonVirginia
Best paying companyConstellation Energy PartnersTexas Instruments
Best paying industryConstructionEnergy

Differences between electrical journeyman and electrical technician education

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

Electrical JourneymanElectrical Technician
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 41%Associate Degree, 41%
Most common majorElectrical Engineering TechnologyElectrical Engineering
Most common college--

Electrical journeyman vs electrical technician demographics

Here are the differences between electrical journeymen' and electrical technicians' demographics:

Electrical JourneymanElectrical Technician
Average age4250
Gender ratioMale, 96.2% Female, 3.8%Male, 93.3% Female, 6.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.9% Asian, 2.2% White, 64.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%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 Percentage3%8%

Differences between electrical journeyman and electrical technician duties and responsibilities

Electrical journeyman example responsibilities.

  • Trouble shoot, diagnose and repair GE statax 3 dc and Siemens ac drive systems.
  • Can run PVC conduit as well as Os-Cal (rubber-coat) for wet installations.
  • Perform some maintenance, tuning, and calibrations on transmitters, control loops, and control valves.
  • Identify leaking hose on hydraulic test stand, avoid $20K EPA fine and secure readiness w/ repair.
  • Work include variable frequency drives, motor starters, controls cabinets, PLC terminations, control consoles and control panels.
  • Perform quality control inspections on contract commercial travel agencies, ensuring contractors stay in compliance of all DOD travel regulations.
  • 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 journeyman vs electrical technician skills

Common electrical journeyman skills
  • Switches, 16%
  • Hand Tools, 14%
  • EMT, 9%
  • Circuit Breakers, 6%
  • Electrical Equipment, 4%
  • NEC, 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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