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The differences between formulation technicians and process 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 formulation technician, becoming a process technician takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a formulation technician has an average salary of $48,107, which is higher than the $39,462 average annual salary of a process technician.
The top three skills for a formulation technician include lean manufacturing, FDA and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a process technician are basic math, patients, and OSHA.
| Formulation Technician | Process Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $48,107 | $39,462 |
| Hourly rate | $23.13 | $18.97 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 45,585 | 74,367 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 36% |
| Average age | 44 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
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 process technician is responsible for managing the equipment and machinery used for various industries, such as manufacturing and engineering. Process technicians must have a strong knowledge of the mechanical industry, especially on operating certain equipment types and making adjustments on its features as needed, depending on the needs of the operation. They also run diagnostic tests to check a machine's working condition to ensure that it's free of any inconsistencies. A process technician also helps develop structure methods by communicating with the technical team and escalating all defective findings to the supervisor.
Formulation technicians and process technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Formulation Technician | Process Technician | |
| Average salary | $48,107 | $39,462 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $75,000 | Between $30,000 And $51,000 |
| Highest paying City | Rockville, MD | Santa Clara, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Boehringer Ingelheim | HP |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Technology |
There are a few differences between a formulation technician and a process technician in terms of educational background:
| Formulation Technician | Process Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 36% |
| Most common major | Biology | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Purdue University |
Here are the differences between formulation technicians' and process technicians' demographics:
| Formulation Technician | Process Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 65.9% Female, 34.1% | Male, 73.2% Female, 26.8% |
| 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, 9.4% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 7.6% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 6% |