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The differences between installation technicians and fire alarm technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a fire alarm technician has an average salary of $42,765, 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 a fire alarm technician are customer service, fire protection, and NFPA.
| Installation Technician | Fire Alarm Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $38,043 | $42,765 |
| Hourly rate | $18.29 | $20.56 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 129,534 | 44,529 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 32% | Associate Degree, 34% |
| 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.
A fire alarm technician is an individual who installs, operates, and maintains the fire alarm systems of a building. Fire alarm technicians must inspect and repair heat detectors and sprinkler heads as well as test the building's fire alarm systems using appropriate diagnostic programs and equipment. They are required to review electrical layout blueprints to determine whether the fire alarm systems comply with the electrical and fire safety codes. Fire alarm technicians must also communicate with clients to ensure that all fire alarm systems are installed and working properly.
Installation technicians and fire alarm technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Installation Technician | Fire Alarm Technician | |
| Average salary | $38,043 | $42,765 |
| 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 | Siemens |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between an installation technician and a fire alarm technician in terms of educational background:
| Installation Technician | Fire Alarm Technician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 32% | Associate Degree, 34% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | New York University | - |
Here are the differences between installation technicians' and fire alarm technicians' demographics:
| Installation Technician | Fire Alarm Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4% | Male, 96.8% Female, 3.2% |
| 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, 9.2% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 21.8% Asian, 4.3% White, 59.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 4% |