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The differences between general maintenance workers and maintenance technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a general maintenance worker and a maintenance technician. Additionally, a maintenance technician has an average salary of $43,293, which is higher than the $36,917 average annual salary of a general maintenance worker.
The top three skills for a general maintenance worker include general maintenance, plumbing and switches. The most important skills for a maintenance technician are plumbing, HVAC, and hand tools.
| General Maintenance Worker | Maintenance Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $36,917 | $43,293 |
| Hourly rate | $17.75 | $20.81 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 153,538 | 178,450 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.25 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 45% | High School Diploma, 34% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A general maintenance worker plays a vital role in keeping buildings and establishments running smoothly and efficiently. They are in charge of performing a variety of maintenance tasks such as repairing malfunctioning equipment and systems, replacing light bulbs and other fixtures, handling mechanical fixes, and maintaining the cleanliness of work areas. They must also perform regular maintenance checks on systems, performing repairs and replacements as needed. Moreover, they must also organize and monitor the inventory of supplies, storing them according to the company's policies and regulations.
Maintenance technicians are technicians who specialize in the preservation of office facilities. They have in-depth knowledge of how various office equipment or fixtures work so that they can immediately identify how to repair them in case of breakdowns. Maintenance technicians perform diagnostics and routine maintenance activities to ensure that everything in the office is running well. They immediately repair problems in fixtures or equipment to avoid any further damages or safety concerns. They should be familiar with occupational safety and health standards to ensure that the office is a safe place to work.
General maintenance workers and maintenance technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| General Maintenance Worker | Maintenance Technician | |
| Average salary | $36,917 | $43,293 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $50,000 | Between $31,000 And $59,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | Jacobs Engineering Group | Anheuser-Busch |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a general maintenance worker and a maintenance technician in terms of educational background:
| General Maintenance Worker | Maintenance Technician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 45% | High School Diploma, 34% |
| Most common major | Business | Electrical Engineering Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between general maintenance workers' and maintenance technicians' demographics:
| General Maintenance Worker | Maintenance Technician | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.3% Female, 8.7% | Male, 95.7% Female, 4.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 21.9% Asian, 4.3% White, 58.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 4.6% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |