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The differences between greenhouse technicians and irrigation 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 greenhouse technician and an irrigation technician. Additionally, an irrigation technician has an average salary of $35,472, which is higher than the $30,794 average annual salary of a greenhouse technician.
The top three skills for a greenhouse technician include harvest, data entry and greenhouse environment. The most important skills for an irrigation technician are golf courses, trenchers, and sprinkler heads.
| Greenhouse Technician | Irrigation Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $30,794 | $35,472 |
| Hourly rate | $14.80 | $17.05 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 8,574 | 27,291 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A Greenhouse Technician specializes in maintaining greenhouses and growing plants. Their responsibilities usually include conducting research and assessments, developing action plans, installing and operating equipment, making upgrades and adjustments, keeping records, liaising with internal and external parties, and performing necessary repairs and maintenance to keep the greenhouses in good condition. They also facilitate plant propagation, watering, pruning, and fertilizing. Moreover, a Greenhouse Technician may also utilize their expertise by working at agricultural plants and universities.
An irrigation technician is responsible for installing, testing, and maintaining irrigation equipment such as sprinklers, suction valves, and pumps. Typical duties for this position include operating heavy machinery for trenching, installing wiring systems for irrigation timers, and inspecting equipment for a day's work. In addition, an irrigation technician may be required to travel to the client's location to install, test, or perform preventative maintenance of irrigation equipment. You are also expected to dig trenches and install lines and pipes and troubleshoot and replace faulty parts.
Greenhouse technicians and irrigation technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Greenhouse Technician | Irrigation Technician | |
| Average salary | $30,794 | $35,472 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $39,000 | Between $27,000 And $45,000 |
| Highest paying City | Plymouth, MN | Concord, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Alexandria Real Estate Equities | San Diego College of Continuing Education |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Construction |
There are a few differences between a greenhouse technician and an irrigation technician in terms of educational background:
| Greenhouse Technician | Irrigation Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Most common major | Biology | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between greenhouse technicians' and irrigation technicians' demographics:
| Greenhouse Technician | Irrigation Technician | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.4% Female, 42.6% | Male, 96.1% Female, 3.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.2% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 22.2% Asian, 2.3% White, 62.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% | Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 26.0% Asian, 2.0% White, 57.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 3% |