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The differences between environmental technicians and technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an environmental technician and a technician. Additionally, an environmental technician has an average salary of $39,690, which is higher than the $38,045 average annual salary of a technician.
The top three skills for an environmental technician include patients, OSHA and hazardous materials. The most important skills for a technician are patients, customer service, and patient care.
| Environmental Technician | Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $39,690 | $38,045 |
| Hourly rate | $19.08 | $18.29 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 43,079 | 596,842 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 2 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| Average age | 38 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
An environmental technician is responsible for identifying, evaluating, preventing, and controlling contamination of the environment. They study how it affects human health with the supervision of environmental engineers and environmental scientists. Environmental technicians work by monitoring the environment and look for possible sources of pollution and contamination that can possibly affect public health. They make sure that environmental violations are prevented. In addition, an environmental technician also investigates any complaint that is related to water quality, air quality, and food safety.
Technicians are skilled professionals who primarily work with technology in different industries. They are knowledgeable about the technical aspects of the various items they work with. They are usually working with electricity or with technological advancements. Technicians may be assigned to do the construction of equipment or materials related to their field of study. They may also be assigned to conduct diagnostics and other maintenance activities to ensure that the equipment works properly. Technicians may also be required to conduct basic repairs in case of problems. It is important that technicians have good analytical skills and decision-making skills.
Environmental technicians and technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Environmental Technician | Technician | |
| Average salary | $39,690 | $38,045 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $51,000 | Between $24,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | Danbury, CT | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | City of Detroit | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between an environmental technician and a technician in terms of educational background:
| Environmental Technician | Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| Most common major | Environmental Science | Business |
| Most common college | Duke University | - |
Here are the differences between environmental technicians' and technicians' demographics:
| Environmental Technician | Technician | |
| Average age | 38 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.3% Female, 26.7% | Male, 75.2% Female, 24.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 10.4% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 4.9% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 2% |