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The differences between field installation technicians and field service technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a field installation technician, becoming a field service technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a field service technician has an average salary of $54,339, which is higher than the $40,685 average annual salary of a field installation technician.
The top three skills for a field installation technician include customer service, customer satisfaction and ladders. The most important skills for a field service technician are customer service, preventative maintenance, and customer satisfaction.
| Field Installation Technician | Field Service Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $40,685 | $54,339 |
| Hourly rate | $19.56 | $26.12 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 92,922 | 167,298 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 37% | Associate Degree, 40% |
| Average age | 38 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
A field installation technician specializes in installing and maintaining equipment and machinery in various areas. Their responsibilities typically include communicating with clients to identify their needs and preferences, understanding blueprints and schematics, diagnosing and troubleshooting issues, maintaining records, and performing repairs when necessary. They may also provide operational advice to clients, perform maintenance checks, and produce progress reports for managers. Moreover, a field installation technician provides technical support, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.
Field service technicians are skilled professionals who manage the technical needs of their clients outside the company's physical office space. They are usually on the field to visit their clients and check up on clients' equipment. Field service technicians are dispatched to provide technical support. They oversee installations, repairs, or maintenance activities. They ensure that all the work needed is done well. They also conduct diagnostic activities and troubleshooting. Field service technicians also supervise any updating or changes needed to be done in their clients' offices. They are expected to have good analytical skills, communication skills, and highly technical skills.
Field installation technicians and field service technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Field Installation Technician | Field Service Technician | |
| Average salary | $40,685 | $54,339 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $53,000 | Between $35,000 And $82,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | |
| Best paying industry | - | Finance |
There are a few differences between a field installation technician and a field service technician in terms of educational background:
| Field Installation Technician | Field Service Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 37% | Associate Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | - |
Here are the differences between field installation technicians' and field service technicians' demographics:
| Field Installation Technician | Field Service Technician | |
| Average age | 38 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.9% Female, 4.1% | Male, 92.3% Female, 7.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 10.5% White, 56.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 1.7% White, 72.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 1% |