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The differences between engineering supervisors and engineering technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes More than 10 years to become an engineering supervisor, becoming an engineering technician takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an engineering supervisor has an average salary of $97,535, which is higher than the $60,273 average annual salary of an engineering technician.
The top three skills for an engineering supervisor include HVAC, plumbing and project management. The most important skills for an engineering technician are technical support, data collection, and test equipment.
| Engineering Supervisor | Engineering Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $97,535 | $60,273 |
| Hourly rate | $46.89 | $28.98 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 57,046 | 111,343 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 48 | 45 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
An engineering supervisor is responsible for monitoring the engineering operations of an organization, developing strategic processes and techniques to improve staff's performance, and facilitating training and programs to maximize productivity. Engineering supervisors evaluate technology procedures and reports to identify and design new opportunities that would generate more resources for revenues and profits. They also meet with clients and handle their business requirements and specifications, informing them of other services that the company offers. An engineering supervisor resolves project complaints and implements business plans to achieve high-quality deliverables.
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 supervisors and engineering technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Engineering Supervisor | Engineering Technician | |
| Average salary | $97,535 | $60,273 |
| Salary range | Between $72,000 And $130,000 | Between $37,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Apple | Western Digital |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Technology |
There are a few differences between an engineering supervisor and an engineering technician in terms of educational background:
| Engineering Supervisor | Engineering Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Purdue University |
Here are the differences between engineering supervisors' and engineering technicians' demographics:
| Engineering Supervisor | Engineering Technician | |
| Average age | 48 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.8% Female, 7.2% | Male, 85.9% Female, 14.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 11.8% White, 71.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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 | 9% | 6% |