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The differences between instrument technicians and calibration technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both an instrument technician and a calibration technician. Additionally, an instrument technician has an average salary of $56,918, which is higher than the $46,908 average annual salary of a calibration technician.
The top three skills for an instrument technician include patients, surgical instruments and cleanliness. The most important skills for a calibration technician are metrology, customer service, and calibration procedures.
| Instrument Technician | Calibration Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $56,918 | $46,908 |
| Hourly rate | $27.36 | $22.55 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 45,965 | 48,741 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 48% | Associate Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
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.
The calibration technician's primary role in manufacturing industries is to make sure that measurements taken with the use of equipment are accurate. They are responsible for the regular monitoring and maintenance of equipment and instruments to ensure that their readings and output match the desired results. Their duties include testing, maintenance, routine inspection, as well as the repair of instruments and manufacturing equipment. Important skills required for the job include keen attention to detail, analytical skills, and coordination for conducting tests with various equipment.
Instrument technicians and calibration technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Instrument Technician | Calibration Technician | |
| Average salary | $56,918 | $46,908 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $83,000 | Between $35,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | Santa Rosa, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Phillips 66 | Boehringer Ingelheim |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between an instrument technician and a calibration technician in terms of educational background:
| Instrument Technician | Calibration Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 48% | Associate Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Northeastern University |
Here are the differences between instrument technicians' and calibration technicians' demographics:
| Instrument Technician | Calibration Technician | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.4% Female, 16.6% | Male, 87.7% Female, 12.3% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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 | 8% | 8% |