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The differences between fire technicians and technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a fire technician, becoming a technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a fire technician has an average salary of $47,578, which is higher than the $38,045 average annual salary of a technician.
The top three skills for a fire technician include fire protection, customer service and NFPA. The most important skills for a technician are patients, customer service, and patient care.
| Fire Technician | Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $47,578 | $38,045 |
| Hourly rate | $22.87 | $18.29 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 27,638 | 596,842 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 2 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| Average age | 49 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
Fire technicians conduct safety inspections and planning for fire protection systems. Fire technicians recognize fire hazards, apply technical knowledge, and perform services to control and prevent fires. Their job includes assessing the safety of the buildings or at-risk areas, works with various protection measures, such as fire systems, exit signage, flame retardant building materials. The main purpose of a fire technician is to prevent fires as much as possible.
Technicians are skilled professionals who primarily work with technology in different industries. They are knowledgeable about the technical aspects of the various items they work with. They are usually working with electricity or with technological advancements. Technicians may be assigned to do the construction of equipment or materials related to their field of study. They may also be assigned to conduct diagnostics and other maintenance activities to ensure that the equipment works properly. Technicians may also be required to conduct basic repairs in case of problems. It is important that technicians have good analytical skills and decision-making skills.
Fire technicians and technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Fire Technician | Technician | |
| Average salary | $47,578 | $38,045 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $62,000 | Between $24,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | Salt Lake City, UT | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Jefferson Lab | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Government | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a fire technician and a technician in terms of educational background:
| Fire Technician | Technician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between fire technicians' and technicians' demographics:
| Fire Technician | Technician | |
| Average age | 49 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.7% Female, 16.3% | Male, 75.2% Female, 24.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 7.3% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 1.2% White, 72.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.9% | Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 4.9% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 18% | 2% |