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The differences between electricians and electrician technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both an electrician and an electrician technician. Additionally, an electrician technician has an average salary of $57,813, which is higher than the $48,850 average annual salary of an electrician.
The top three skills for an electrician include hand tools, electrical equipment and run conduit. The most important skills for an electrician technician are PLC, hand tools, and electrical systems.
| Electrician | Electrician Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $48,850 | $57,813 |
| Hourly rate | $23.49 | $27.79 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 17,245 | 112,907 |
| Job satisfaction | 3.86 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 32% | Associate Degree, 42% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
An electrician is a skilled tradesman in charge of wirings and systems which provide electric power to a facility. They are trained to design, install, maintain, and troubleshoot electrical wiring systems. There are four basic types of an electrician - residential wiremen, inside wiremen, telecommunications electrician, and outside linemen. Some work on a standard 40-hour week shift while others are on-call duty. In some cases, traveling is also a vital key to their role where they would work for a few days before moving to another location.
The main duties of an electrical technician involve the assembly, evaluation, testing, and maintenance of electronic or electrical wiring and equipment. Sometimes, electrical technicians can take the role of electrical engineers or electricians. They may perform the duties of residential, telecommunications, and inside electricians. They may also work on-site for the efficient functionality of specialty equipment and machinery. The technicians are expected to have mechanical aptitude, reading comprehension, problem-solving skills, and customer service skills.
Electricians and electrician technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electrician | Electrician Technician | |
| Average salary | $48,850 | $57,813 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $73,000 | Between $42,000 And $77,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Atwater, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | PBF Energy | Nabors Industries |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Energy |
There are a few differences between an electrician and an electrician technician in terms of educational background:
| Electrician | Electrician Technician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 32% | Associate Degree, 42% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering Technology | Electrical Engineering Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between electricians' and electrician technicians' demographics:
| Electrician | Electrician Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4% | Male, 96.0% Female, 4.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 2.2% White, 63.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 21.0% Asian, 2.2% White, 63.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 3% |