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The differences between formulation technicians and manufacturing technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a formulation technician and a manufacturing technician. Additionally, a formulation technician has an average salary of $48,107, which is higher than the $37,853 average annual salary of a manufacturing technician.
The top three skills for a formulation technician include lean manufacturing, FDA and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a manufacturing technician are GMP, continuous improvement, and hand tools.
| Formulation Technician | Manufacturing Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $48,107 | $37,853 |
| Hourly rate | $23.13 | $18.20 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 45,585 | 76,490 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 39% |
| Average age | 44 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Formulation Technicians are responsible for preparing and testing formulations samples to meet the research and development goals. Their duties include preparing samples for different formulations, undertaking pilot production studies, assessing storage stability, conducting physical property measuring, and performing chemical and physical formulation assessments. They facilitate global sampling, maintain an accurate record of study data, and participate in team meetings. Formulation Technicians also ensure that laboratory resources are up to acceptable standards and work is done to follow best practices, safety standards, and documented procedures.
A manufacturing technician, or often called a manufacturing production technician, is an individual who is responsible for setting and testing manufacturing machinery or equipment. To set up the machines, manufacturing technicians will use electronic, electrical, mechanical, or computer technologies. They are responsible for gathering data from their part in the manufacturing process and reporting it to their production or manufacturing engineers. When handling machines or equipment, manufacturing technicians must strictly follow their health and safety procedures and protocols.
Formulation technicians and manufacturing technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Formulation Technician | Manufacturing Technician | |
| Average salary | $48,107 | $37,853 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $75,000 | Between $27,000 And $52,000 |
| Highest paying City | Rockville, MD | Framingham, MA |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Boehringer Ingelheim | Qorvo |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Finance |
There are a few differences between a formulation technician and a manufacturing technician in terms of educational background:
| Formulation Technician | Manufacturing Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 39% |
| Most common major | Biology | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between formulation technicians' and manufacturing technicians' demographics:
| Formulation Technician | Manufacturing Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 65.9% Female, 34.1% | Male, 74.4% Female, 25.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 9.4% White, 62.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 8.9% White, 59.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 6% |