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The differences between equipment technicians and preventive maintenance technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an equipment technician has an average salary of $41,004, which is higher than the $40,935 average annual salary of a preventive maintenance technician.
The top three skills for an equipment technician include preventative maintenance, patients and equipment maintenance. The most important skills for a preventive maintenance technician are customer service, hand tools, and HVAC.
| Equipment Technician | Preventive Maintenance Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $41,004 | $40,935 |
| Hourly rate | $19.71 | $19.68 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 127,258 | 170,517 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 39% | Associate Degree, 31% |
| Average age | 46 | 47 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
An equipment technician is responsible for handling the operations of company equipment and machinery, inspecting for any malfunctions, and immediately repairing defective components to prevent delays in productivity. Equipment technicians create a report of system failures, referencing documentation to develop consistency with the equipment, and suggest corrective actions. They should also analyze schematics and blueprints for guides on how to maintain the equipment's reliability. An equipment technician must have excellent knowledge of the mechanical industry, especially on enhancing equipment's performance and maximizing operational productivity.
A preventive maintenance technician performs routine facility maintenance to prevent possible mechanical failure. The technicians change worn out machine parts before they can cause mechanical damage. They keep the facility operating. It is their job to conduct quality assessments, maintain inventory, and schedule repairs. Also, they see to it that machines are up and running at all times. They are expected to be equipped with skills in customer service, problem-solving, reading comprehension, business operation, and mechanical aptitude.
Equipment technicians and preventive maintenance technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Equipment Technician | Preventive Maintenance Technician | |
| Average salary | $41,004 | $40,935 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $56,000 | Between $31,000 And $52,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Owatonna, MN |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Westinghouse Appliances Australia | Kiewit |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Automotive |
There are a few differences between an equipment technician and a preventive maintenance technician in terms of educational background:
| Equipment Technician | Preventive Maintenance Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 39% | Associate Degree, 31% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | - |
Here are the differences between equipment technicians' and preventive maintenance technicians' demographics:
| Equipment Technician | Preventive Maintenance Technician | |
| Average age | 46 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.4% Female, 10.6% | Male, 91.8% Female, 8.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 2.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 6.0% White, 69.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 4.6% White, 59.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 2% |