How To Become An Equipment Technician: What It Is and Career Path

What is an equipment technician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

An equipment technician ensures the smooth operation of the company's equipment and machinery. He/She sets up equipment, connects cables and wires, and offers assistance for various situations. He/She inspects equipment for malfunctions and repairs defective components to prevent delays in productivity. Likewise, he/she creates a report of system failures and recommends corrective actions. Also, he/she analyzes schematics and blueprints for guides on maintaining the equipment and ensures minimum downtime by conducting systematic troubleshooting. Additionally, he/she handles all maintenance of various mechanical and electrical systems. This may include preventive and predictive maintenance. Equipment technicians work in a variety of industries.

Employers seek applicants with a diploma in mechanical or electrical engineering. Applicants must have previous relevant work experience. You must have interpersonal, organization, troubleshooting, teamwork, problem-solving, time management, analytical, and communication skills. Equipment technicians earn an average salary of $51,855 per year. It ranges between $36,000 and $75,000.

ScoreEquipment TechnicianUS Average

Salary

3.2

Avg. Salary $41,004

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.0

Growth rate 17%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.9

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.38%

Asian 6.03%

Black or African American 4.85%

Hispanic or Latino 16.66%

Unknown 2.92%

White 69.16%

Gender

female 10.64%

male 89.36%

Age - 45

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 45

Stress level

6.0

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

6.3

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.9

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an equipment technician

Explore equipment technician education requirements

Most common equipment technician degrees

Associate

39.0 %

Bachelor's

28.9 %

High School Diploma

20.4 %

Start to develop specific equipment technician skills

Skills	Percentages
Preventative Maintenance	10.40%
Patients	6.48%
Equipment Maintenance	5.77%
Ladders	5.35%
Hand Tools	4.73%

Complete relevant equipment technician training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New equipment technicians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an equipment technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real equipment technician resumes.

Gain additional equipment technician certifications

Equipment technician certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific equipment technician certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for equipment technicians include EPA Amusement Operators Safety Certification (EPA) and Master Certified Electronics Technician (CETma).

More About Certifications

Research equipment technician duties and responsibilities

Maintain numerous automate scripts to assist in managing Linux systems.
Work as a BMET servicing a wide variety of medical equipment.
Inspect and test medical equipment (defibrillators and NICU incubators).
Repair and configure infusion pumps, anesthesia units, ventilators, and defibrillators for desire patient care.

Prepare your equipment technician resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your equipment technician resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an equipment technician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable equipment technician resume templates

Build a professional equipment technician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your equipment technician resume.