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The differences between facility maintenance technicians and plant technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a facility maintenance technician and a plant technician. Additionally, a plant technician has an average salary of $46,164, which is higher than the $39,575 average annual salary of a facility maintenance technician.
The top three skills for a facility maintenance technician include plumbing, HVAC and hand tools. The most important skills for a plant technician are preventive maintenance, ladders, and data collection.
| Facility Maintenance Technician | Plant Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $39,575 | $46,164 |
| Hourly rate | $19.03 | $22.19 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 171,217 | 146,543 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 31% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A facility maintenance technician is responsible for inspecting the safety and security of the facilities, including the operational tools, equipment, and machinery, to avoid potential hazards in the production area and maintain timely project deliverables. Facility maintenance technicians perform a regular check on the equipment, identifying glitches and inconsistencies, and repairing defective components to avoid delays in operation. They also install and assemble new machines, requiring them to have comprehensive knowledge of reading schematics and blueprints. A facility maintenance technician records incident reports and suggests immediate safety actions to management.
A plant technician is in charge of overseeing plant operations, ensuring everything runs smoothly and efficiently. Their responsibilities include installing and upgrading machines and equipment, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of existing systems, implementing solutions to vulnerable or problem areas, and developing strategies to optimize plant operations. They must also perform regular maintenance checks, conducting corrective measures and adjustments as needed. Furthermore, a plant technician must provide technical support to employees, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
Facility maintenance technicians and plant technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Facility Maintenance Technician | Plant Technician | |
| Average salary | $39,575 | $46,164 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $52,000 | Between $31,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | Anchorage, AK | Kent, WA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | The American Musical and Dramatic Academy | BP America Inc |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Utilities |
There are a few differences between a facility maintenance technician and a plant technician in terms of educational background:
| Facility Maintenance Technician | Plant Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 31% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering Technology | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between facility maintenance technicians' and plant technicians' demographics:
| Facility Maintenance Technician | Plant Technician | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4% | Male, 75.4% Female, 24.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 4.5% White, 59.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.9% Asian, 4.6% White, 60.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |