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The differences between electronic instrument technicians and engineering technician leads can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both an electronic instrument technician and an engineering technician lead. Additionally, an engineering technician lead has an average salary of $107,373, which is higher than the $52,630 average annual salary of an electronic instrument technician.
The top three skills for an electronic instrument technician include computer system, transducers and PLC. The most important skills for an engineering technician lead are java, python, and C++.
| Electronic Instrument Technician | Engineering Technician Lead | |
| Yearly salary | $52,630 | $107,373 |
| Hourly rate | $25.30 | $51.62 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 40,520 | 102,504 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
An electronic instrument technician is responsible for choosing the best electrical instruments. They are the first to test an electronic instrument to check for any damage and conduct repairs as needed. They are also responsible for evaluating electronic instruments using different assessing systems. Maintenance of the tools used and scheduled troubleshooting is also the technician's job. They can be working inside a factory, standing for long hours, so strong stamina is needed. They can also be seen inside a retail store, so good communication skills are necessary.
Engineering technician leads are technical professionals who lead a team to design and build prototypes of a planned product or equipment. These technician leads are required to provide advice and technical support to the engineering team to resolve technical issues as well as oversee system maintenance and enhancement. They must work with both product development and manufacturing engineers to improve the existing manufacturing processes. Engineering technician leads must also participate in activities related to maintenance and troubleshooting of equipment.
Electronic instrument technicians and engineering technician leads have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Electronic Instrument Technician | Engineering Technician Lead | |
| Average salary | $52,630 | $107,373 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $72,000 | Between $80,000 And $142,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Palo Alto, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Meta |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between an electronic instrument technician and an engineering technician lead in terms of educational background:
| Electronic Instrument Technician | Engineering Technician Lead | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between electronic instrument technicians' and engineering technician leads' demographics:
| Electronic Instrument Technician | Engineering Technician Lead | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.6% Female, 3.4% | Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1% |
| 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, 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 | 8% | 8% |