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The differences between engineering specialists and 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 specialist and an engineering technician. Additionally, an engineering specialist has an average salary of $91,767, which is higher than the $60,273 average annual salary of an engineering technician.
The top three skills for an engineering specialist include keyword research, google analytics and digital marketing. The most important skills for an engineering technician are technical support, data collection, and test equipment.
| Engineering Specialist | Engineering Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $91,767 | $60,273 |
| Hourly rate | $44.12 | $28.98 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 74,442 | 111,343 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
The duties of an engineering specialist depend on their line of work or industry of employment. As a specialist, their responsibilities typically revolve around utilizing their expertise by designing and developing various systems to improve products and operations, and participate in planning and devising strategies for optimal production performance. They must also identify areas needing improvement, conduct regular maintenance checks to ensure the safety and efficiency of facilities, and collaborate with other engineers as needed. Furthermore, there are instances where they have to address issues and concerns, resolving them promptly and effectively.
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 specialists and engineering technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Engineering Specialist | Engineering Technician | |
| Average salary | $91,767 | $60,273 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $142,000 | Between $37,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Enbridge | Western Digital |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between an engineering specialist and an engineering technician in terms of educational background:
| Engineering Specialist | Engineering Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Purdue University |
Here are the differences between engineering specialists' and engineering technicians' demographics:
| Engineering Specialist | Engineering Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 79.5% Female, 20.5% | Male, 85.9% Female, 14.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 10.3% White, 60.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | 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 | 7% | 6% |