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The differences between installation technicians and alarm technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an alarm technician has an average salary of $42,630, which is higher than the $38,043 average annual salary of an installation technician.
The top three skills for an installation technician include customer service, ladders and hand tools. The most important skills for an alarm technician are fire protection, work ethic, and NFPA.
| Installation Technician | Alarm Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $38,043 | $42,630 |
| Hourly rate | $18.29 | $20.50 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 129,534 | 94,813 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 32% | Associate Degree, 33% |
| Average age | 45 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | 12 |
Installation technicians are responsible for handling and installing all types of electronic systems and equipment. An installation technician should be well-knowledgeable about the equipment complexity to conduct troubleshooting for system malfunction or provide necessary instructions for the customers. In some cases, installation technicians are required to conduct regular checks and maintenance to ensure that the system functions properly, upgrading, or replacing equipment for improvement. Installation technicians usually handle customer queries for the system and are expected to resolve issues through remote work or area visit.
An alarm technician installs, maintains, and troubleshoots security alarms that are used in a company or establishment. Security alarms serve to deter to thievery and break-ins. An alarm technician is responsible for ensuring that installed security alarms will always work as expected. This position requires experience as an electrician, knowledge of the common types of alarm systems, and a keen grasp of security practices.
Installation technicians and alarm technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Installation Technician | Alarm Technician | |
| Average salary | $38,043 | $42,630 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $49,000 | Between $31,000 And $57,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Fort Wayne, IN |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Indiana |
| Best paying company | Pella | EMCOR Group |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between an installation technician and an alarm technician in terms of educational background:
| Installation Technician | Alarm Technician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 32% | Associate Degree, 33% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | New York University | - |
Here are the differences between installation technicians' and alarm technicians' demographics:
| Installation Technician | Alarm Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4% | Male, 95.8% Female, 4.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 6.3% White, 57.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.3% Asian, 4.3% White, 60.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 4% |