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The differences between laser technicians and thin-film technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a laser technician, becoming a thin-film technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a thin-film technician has an average salary of $38,552, which is higher than the $37,370 average annual salary of a laser technician.
The top three skills for a laser technician include patients, customer service and laser equipment. The most important skills for a thin-film technician are thin films, sputtering, and equipment maintenance.
| Laser Technician | Thin-Film Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $37,370 | $38,552 |
| Hourly rate | $17.97 | $18.53 |
| Growth rate | 17% | - |
| Number of jobs | 24,920 | 17,874 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 35% | Associate Degree, 41% |
| Average age | 45 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
Laser technicians and thin-film technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Laser Technician | Thin-Film Technician | |
| Average salary | $37,370 | $38,552 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $46,000 | Between $22,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | West Fargo, ND | - |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | - |
| Best paying company | University of California, Berkeley | - |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between a laser technician and a thin-film technician in terms of educational background:
| Laser Technician | Thin-Film Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 35% | Associate Degree, 41% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Northeastern University |
Here are the differences between laser technicians' and thin-film technicians' demographics:
| Laser Technician | Thin-Film Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 47.8% Female, 52.2% | Male, 78.3% Female, 21.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 7.5% White, 60.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | 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 | 6% | 8% |