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The differences between engineering associates and 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 engineering associate, becoming an engineering technician takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an engineering associate has an average salary of $70,657, which is higher than the $60,273 average annual salary of an engineering technician.
The top three skills for an engineering associate include python, java and CAD. The most important skills for an engineering technician are technical support, data collection, and test equipment.
| Engineering Associate | Engineering Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $70,657 | $60,273 |
| Hourly rate | $33.97 | $28.98 |
| Growth rate | - | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 87,421 | 111,343 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 50 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
An engineering associate is an individual whose job duties include analysis of project plans, development of product designs, and maintenance of equipment. The engineering fields where an engineering associate can find a job include civil, mechanical, and environmental. The requirements to qualify for the position include obtaining a bachelor's degree in engineering, familiarity with a specific industry, prior work experience related to the field, and possessing strong technical skills.
An Engineering Technician's duties vary according to the industry or company, whether mechanical, industrial, civil, agricultural, or more. However, most of the time, the responsibilities often revolve around resolving technical issues, working with and assisting Engineers in building, assembling, designing, gathering and testing data, and conducting more manual activities. Furthermore, Engineering Technicians can specialize and work in various fields after a certain training period, closely mentored or monitored by an engineer or someone with extensive expertise.
Engineering associates and engineering technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Engineering Associate | Engineering Technician | |
| Average salary | $70,657 | $60,273 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $101,000 | Between $37,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Washington |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Western Digital |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between an engineering associate and an engineering technician in terms of educational background:
| Engineering Associate | Engineering Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Purdue University |
Here are the differences between engineering associates' and engineering technicians' demographics:
| Engineering Associate | Engineering Technician | |
| Average age | 50 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.8% Female, 19.2% | Male, 85.9% Female, 14.1% |
| 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, 9.5% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 9.2% White, 59.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 6% |