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The differences between in-house technicians and instrument technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an in-house technician, becoming an instrument technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, an instrument technician has an average salary of $56,918, which is higher than the $35,187 average annual salary of an in-house technician.
The top three skills for an in-house technician include HVAC, plumbing and troubleshoot. The most important skills for an instrument technician are patients, surgical instruments, and cleanliness.
| In-House Technician | Instrument Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $35,187 | $56,918 |
| Hourly rate | $16.92 | $27.36 |
| Growth rate | 5% | - |
| Number of jobs | 185,456 | 45,965 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 37% | Associate Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 47 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
A technician is a skilled worker who works with technical and mechanical systems and handles any problems associated with them. They must have on-hand experience and are often called upon to repair defective components. An in-house technician may be employed by a client or company to provide customer support to their clients. They are responsible for any repair or maintenance work that needs to be done by the client. Unlike an independent technician, this job is typically more stable.
An instrument technician is an individual who is responsible for testing, repairing, and inspecting all manufacturing equipment to ensure proper operations of the machines. Instrument technicians collaborate with engineers to develop and produce equipment design and provide advice to process technicians about equipment operation. They remove defective equipment so that they can decontaminate and replace the damaged ones with new machines. They are also required by their employer to obtain certification in the field of instrumentation technology.
In-house technicians and instrument technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| In-House Technician | Instrument Technician | |
| Average salary | $35,187 | $56,918 |
| Salary range | Between $20,000 And $60,000 | Between $38,000 And $83,000 |
| Highest paying City | Anchorage, AK | Palo Alto, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Prime Healthcare | Phillips 66 |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an in-house technician and an instrument technician in terms of educational background:
| In-House Technician | Instrument Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 37% | Associate Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Business | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | - | Northeastern University |
Here are the differences between in-house technicians' and instrument technicians' demographics:
| In-House Technician | Instrument Technician | |
| Average age | 47 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 74.7% Female, 25.3% | Male, 83.4% Female, 16.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 4.7% White, 60.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 8.0% White, 70.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 8% |