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The differences between machine maintenance technicians and equipment maintenance technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a machine maintenance technician and an equipment maintenance technician. Additionally, an equipment maintenance technician has an average salary of $45,945, which is higher than the $42,187 average annual salary of a machine maintenance technician.
The top three skills for a machine maintenance technician include preventative maintenance, hand tools and PLC. The most important skills for an equipment maintenance technician are equipment maintenance, hand tools, and preventive maintenance.
| Machine Maintenance Technician | Equipment Maintenance Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $42,187 | $45,945 |
| Hourly rate | $20.28 | $22.09 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 156,225 | 168,523 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 42% | Associate Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Machine Maintenance Technician will conduct machinery and equipment maintenance routinely. As a Maintenance Technician, you will help troubleshoot and repair any electrical or mechanical issues that may arise. Your duties may day-to-day duties may vary but typically include installing new manufacturing equipment, performing equipment calibration, and addressing safety hazard risks. Part of your duty is to communicate potential and existing problems with your supervisor and comply with safety policies and measures. Additionally, you will also need to maintain a clean and safe working environment.
An equipment maintenance technician is responsible for ensuring the stability and efficiency of all production tools and equipment to support smooth business functions and operations. Equipment maintenance technicians conduct regular maintenance for optimization, repair defective components, and inspect equipment parts to identify possible upgrades and replacements. They also assemble equipment and machinery, requiring them to have excellent mechanical and critical-thinking skills to analyze schematics and blueprints accurately. An equipment maintenance technician must be highly communicative and organizational, especially in adhering to the highest safety standards and protocols during operations.
Machine maintenance technicians and equipment maintenance technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Machine Maintenance Technician | Equipment Maintenance Technician | |
| Average salary | $42,187 | $45,945 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $57,000 | Between $35,000 And $60,000 |
| Highest paying City | Coon Rapids, MN | Hayward, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Kennametal | Vicor |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Technology |
There are a few differences between a machine maintenance technician and an equipment maintenance technician in terms of educational background:
| Machine Maintenance Technician | Equipment Maintenance Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 42% | Associate Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between machine maintenance technicians' and equipment maintenance technicians' demographics:
| Machine Maintenance Technician | Equipment Maintenance Technician | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.6% Female, 3.4% | Male, 94.7% Female, 5.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.8% Asian, 4.6% White, 62.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 22.2% Asian, 4.3% White, 58.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |