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The differences between engineering technician leads and engineers 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 technician lead, becoming an engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an engineering technician lead has an average salary of $107,373, which is higher than the $92,077 average annual salary of an engineer.
The top three skills for an engineering technician lead include java, python and C++. The most important skills for an engineer are python, cloud, and C++.
| Engineering Technician Lead | Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $107,373 | $92,077 |
| Hourly rate | $51.62 | $44.27 |
| Growth rate | - | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 102,504 | 618,207 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.33 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 50 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 6 |
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.
Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects. They should also be well-versed in different construction or industrial materials, and they ensure that appropriate materials are used for the project. They also ensure that the projects meet the requirements of the groups that hired them. They create spaces that would both address the needs of the end-users and the industry standards. They also ensure that the projects they make would stand the test of time.
Engineering technician leads and engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Engineering Technician Lead | Engineer | |
| Average salary | $107,373 | $92,077 |
| Salary range | Between $80,000 And $142,000 | Between $65,000 And $130,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | Huntsville, AL |
| Highest paying state | California | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Meta | Fort Bend County |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between an engineering technician lead and an engineer in terms of educational background:
| Engineering Technician Lead | Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between engineering technician leads' and engineers' demographics:
| Engineering Technician Lead | Engineer | |
| Average age | 50 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1% | Male, 86.3% Female, 13.7% |
| 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, 3.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 15.0% White, 67.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 5% |