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The differences between equipment maintenance technicians and equipment engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an equipment maintenance technician, becoming an equipment engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, an equipment engineer has an average salary of $97,539, which is higher than the $45,945 average annual salary of an equipment maintenance technician.
The top three skills for an equipment maintenance technician include equipment maintenance, hand tools and preventive maintenance. The most important skills for an equipment engineer are equipment performance, semiconductor, and project management.
| Equipment Maintenance Technician | Equipment Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $45,945 | $97,539 |
| Hourly rate | $22.09 | $46.89 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 168,523 | 108,449 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Average age | 47 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
An equipment maintenance technician is responsible for ensuring the stability and efficiency of all production tools and equipment to support smooth business functions and operations. Equipment maintenance technicians conduct regular maintenance for optimization, repair defective components, and inspect equipment parts to identify possible upgrades and replacements. They also assemble equipment and machinery, requiring them to have excellent mechanical and critical-thinking skills to analyze schematics and blueprints accurately. An equipment maintenance technician must be highly communicative and organizational, especially in adhering to the highest safety standards and protocols during operations.
The duties of an equipment engineer depend on one's organization or industry of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around designing and developing mechanical and electronic equipment, analyzing and improving existing systems, performing customization according to customers' preferences, installing and removing attachments, and conducting regular maintenance procedures. An equipment engineer must also address issues and complaints, providing corrective measures promptly and efficiently. Furthermore, it is essential to coordinate with team members and other specialists, inspect and test new systems, and adhere to the company's policies and regulations.
Equipment maintenance technicians and equipment engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Equipment Maintenance Technician | Equipment Engineer | |
| Average salary | $45,945 | $97,539 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $60,000 | Between $69,000 And $136,000 |
| Highest paying City | Hayward, CA | Fremont, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Louisiana |
| Best paying company | Vicor | Cheniere Energy |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between an equipment maintenance technician and an equipment engineer in terms of educational background:
| Equipment Maintenance Technician | Equipment Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 69% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | - | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between equipment maintenance technicians' and equipment engineers' demographics:
| Equipment Maintenance Technician | Equipment Engineer | |
| Average age | 47 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.7% Female, 5.3% | Male, 91.7% Female, 8.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 22.2% Asian, 4.3% White, 58.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 3.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 15.1% White, 68.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 5% |