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Electrical technician vs maintenance technician

The differences between electrical technicians and maintenance technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an electrical technician has an average salary of $55,215, which is higher than the $43,293 average annual salary of a maintenance technician.

The top three skills for an electrical technician include hand tools, PLC and electrical equipment. The most important skills for a maintenance technician are plumbing, HVAC, and hand tools.

Electrical technician vs maintenance technician overview

Electrical TechnicianMaintenance Technician
Yearly salary$55,215$43,293
Hourly rate$26.55$20.81
Growth rate-5%
Number of jobs127,792178,450
Job satisfaction-4.25
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 41%High School Diploma, 34%
Average age5047
Years of experience-4

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.

What does a maintenance technician do?

Maintenance technicians are technicians who specialize in the preservation of office facilities. They have in-depth knowledge of how various office equipment or fixtures work so that they can immediately identify how to repair them in case of breakdowns. Maintenance technicians perform diagnostics and routine maintenance activities to ensure that everything in the office is running well. They immediately repair problems in fixtures or equipment to avoid any further damages or safety concerns. They should be familiar with occupational safety and health standards to ensure that the office is a safe place to work.

Electrical technician vs maintenance technician salary

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

Electrical TechnicianMaintenance Technician
Average salary$55,215$43,293
Salary rangeBetween $37,000 And $80,000Between $31,000 And $59,000
Highest paying CityPalo Alto, CARichmond, CA
Highest paying stateVirginiaRhode Island
Best paying companyTexas InstrumentsAnheuser-Busch
Best paying industryEnergyManufacturing

Differences between electrical technician and maintenance technician education

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

Electrical TechnicianMaintenance Technician
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 41%High School Diploma, 34%
Most common majorElectrical EngineeringElectrical Engineering Technology
Most common college--

Electrical technician vs maintenance technician demographics

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

Electrical TechnicianMaintenance Technician
Average age5047
Gender ratioMale, 93.3% Female, 6.7%Male, 95.7% Female, 4.3%
Race ratioBlack 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, 11.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 4.6% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage8%2%

Differences between electrical technician and maintenance technician duties and responsibilities

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

Maintenance technician example responsibilities.

  • Install, repair and troubleshoot electrical wiring, including switches, outlets, lights, ballast.
  • Monitor and document all temperature readings on boilers, chillers, and dry vac systems beginning and mid shift.
  • Perform preventative maintenance checks and services on exhaust fans, boilers, chiller units, automatic transfer switches, and generators.
  • Repair electrical equipment; replace faulty electrical switches; repair refrigeration equipment.
  • Handle trouble-shooting and repair of mechanical systems refrigerant recovery and charging of HVAC systems.
  • Facilitate commercial plumbing, electrical, light HVAC, and carpentry repairs in a laboratory facility environment
  • Show more

Electrical technician vs maintenance technician skills

Common electrical technician skills
  • Hand Tools, 7%
  • PLC, 7%
  • Electrical Equipment, 7%
  • Electrical Systems, 6%
  • Electrical Schematics, 4%
  • Control Systems, 4%
Common maintenance technician skills
  • Plumbing, 10%
  • HVAC, 8%
  • Hand Tools, 7%
  • Customer Service, 6%
  • Ladders, 4%
  • Electrical Systems, 4%

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