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The differences between fire alarm technicians and electronic security technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a fire alarm technician and an electronic security technician. Additionally, an electronic security technician has an average salary of $43,446, which is higher than the $42,765 average annual salary of a fire alarm technician.
The top three skills for a fire alarm technician include customer service, fire protection and NFPA. The most important skills for an electronic security technician are troubleshoot, control systems, and CCTV.
| Fire Alarm Technician | Electronic Security Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $42,765 | $43,446 |
| Hourly rate | $20.56 | $20.89 |
| Growth rate | 6% | - |
| Number of jobs | 44,529 | 73,688 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 34% | Associate Degree, 35% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A fire alarm technician is an individual who installs, operates, and maintains the fire alarm systems of a building. Fire alarm technicians must inspect and repair heat detectors and sprinkler heads as well as test the building's fire alarm systems using appropriate diagnostic programs and equipment. They are required to review electrical layout blueprints to determine whether the fire alarm systems comply with the electrical and fire safety codes. Fire alarm technicians must also communicate with clients to ensure that all fire alarm systems are installed and working properly.
An electronic security technician installs, configures, tests, and troubleshoot activities on intercom, intrusion alarm systems, network infrastructure, access control, and CCTV. They install and verify activities on security equipment for commissioning, testing, and installations. Besides reading and interpreting blueprints, specifications, submittals, schematics, and diagrams, electronic security technicians also keep learning about different product lines and engage in on-call service. They work hand-in-hand with clients when assessing risk and determining security requirements. Also, they maintain and repair electronic computers.
Fire alarm technicians and electronic security technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Fire Alarm Technician | Electronic Security Technician | |
| Average salary | $42,765 | $43,446 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $57,000 | Between $27,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fort Wayne, IN | Milwaukee, WI |
| Highest paying state | Indiana | Maine |
| Best paying company | Siemens | Emory University |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a fire alarm technician and an electronic security technician in terms of educational background:
| Fire Alarm Technician | Electronic Security Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 34% | Associate Degree, 35% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between fire alarm technicians' and electronic security technicians' demographics:
| Fire Alarm Technician | Electronic Security Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.8% Female, 3.2% | Male, 95.9% Female, 4.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 21.8% Asian, 4.3% White, 59.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.8% Asian, 4.3% White, 63.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |