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The differences between electrician technicians and electrical engineering technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become an electrician technician, becoming an electrical engineering technician takes usually requires 8-10 years. Additionally, an electrician technician has an average salary of $57,813, which is higher than the $56,704 average annual salary of an electrical engineering technician.
The top three skills for an electrician technician include PLC, hand tools and electrical systems. The most important skills for an electrical engineering technician are test equipment, PLC, and CAD.
| Electrician Technician | Electrical Engineering Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $57,813 | $56,704 |
| Hourly rate | $27.79 | $27.26 |
| Growth rate | 7% | - |
| Number of jobs | 112,907 | 133,838 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 42% | Associate Degree, 43% |
| Average age | 42 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 10 |
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.
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.
Electrician technicians and electrical engineering technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electrician Technician | Electrical Engineering Technician | |
| Average salary | $57,813 | $56,704 |
| Salary range | Between $42,000 And $77,000 | Between $41,000 And $76,000 |
| Highest paying City | Atwater, CA | Walnut Creek, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Nabors Industries | Applied Materials |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Transportation |
There are a few differences between an electrician technician and an electrical engineering technician in terms of educational background:
| Electrician Technician | Electrical Engineering Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 42% | Associate Degree, 43% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering Technology | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | - | Northeastern University |
Here are the differences between electrician technicians' and electrical engineering technicians' demographics:
| Electrician Technician | Electrical Engineering Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.0% Female, 4.0% | Male, 91.1% Female, 8.9% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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 | 3% | 8% |