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The differences between instrument technicians and ie 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 an ie technician. Additionally, an ie technician has an average salary of $67,439, which is higher than the $56,918 average annual salary of an instrument technician.
The top three skills for an instrument technician include patients, surgical instruments and cleanliness. The most important skills for an ie technician are PLC, electrical equipment, and control systems.
| Instrument Technician | IE Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $56,918 | $67,439 |
| Hourly rate | $27.36 | $32.42 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 45,965 | 28,129 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 48% | Associate Degree, 58% |
| 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.
An IE technician is responsible for maintaining and repairing electrical equipment and components that run manufacturing companies and production processes. IE technicians calibrate machinery and troubleshoot defective parts to ensure smooth operations and prevent operational delays and avoid potential hazards in the workplace. They also assemble machines and fix network failures by studying schematics and blueprints and utilizing efficient resources. An IE technician must have excellent electrical and mechanical skills, record resolutions for reference, and write incident reports.
Instrument technicians and ie technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Instrument Technician | IE Technician | |
| Average salary | $56,918 | $67,439 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $83,000 | Between $49,000 And $91,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | - |
| Best paying company | Phillips 66 | - |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | - |
There are a few differences between an instrument technician and an ie technician in terms of educational background:
| Instrument Technician | IE Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 48% | Associate Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering Technology |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between instrument technicians' and ie technicians' demographics:
| Instrument Technician | IE Technician | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.4% Female, 16.6% | Male, 96.2% Female, 3.8% |
| 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% |