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The differences between engineering assistants and process engineering technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an engineering assistant and a process engineering technician. Additionally, a process engineering technician has an average salary of $84,612, which is higher than the $64,402 average annual salary of an engineering assistant.
The top three skills for an engineering assistant include troubleshoot, C++ and worksheets. The most important skills for a process engineering technician are process engineering, continuous improvement, and process improvement.
| Engineering Assistant | Process Engineering Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $64,402 | $84,612 |
| Hourly rate | $30.96 | $40.68 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 53,767 | 91,755 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
An engineering assistant is responsible for supporting the engineering department's operations under the supervision of a head engineer. Engineering assistants help with operating tools and equipment, developing and analyzing designs, communicating with clients by responding to their inquiries and concerns, creating project plans, and identifying business opportunities to generate revenues and increase profitability. An engineering assistant must have excellent knowledge of the engineering disciplines and processes to carry out tasks within strict deadlines and under minimal supervision.
A process engineering technician typically works at manufacturing facilities where they are in charge of providing technical support to engineers in an effort to optimize production operations. Their responsibilities usually include performing installations and adjustments, developing and implementing test structures, understanding blueprints and schematics, replacing components, troubleshooting problems, recommending solutions, and repairing parts as needed. A process engineering technician typically works in a team setting, which requires an active communication line for a smooth and efficient workflow.
Engineering assistants and process engineering technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Engineering Assistant | Process Engineering Technician | |
| Average salary | $64,402 | $84,612 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $99,000 | Between $64,000 And $110,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Cupertino, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Idaho |
| Best paying company | Apple | |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between an engineering assistant and a process engineering technician in terms of educational background:
| Engineering Assistant | Process Engineering Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Business | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Purdue University |
Here are the differences between engineering assistants' and process engineering technicians' demographics:
| Engineering Assistant | Process Engineering Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 68.8% Female, 31.2% | Male, 81.6% Female, 18.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 11.2% White, 58.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 11.2% White, 59.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |