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Machine maintenance technician vs maintenance technician

The differences between machine maintenance technicians and 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 a maintenance technician. Additionally, a maintenance technician has an average salary of $43,293, 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 a maintenance technician are plumbing, HVAC, and hand tools.

Machine maintenance technician vs maintenance technician overview

Machine Maintenance TechnicianMaintenance Technician
Yearly salary$42,187$43,293
Hourly rate$20.28$20.81
Growth rate5%5%
Number of jobs156,225178,450
Job satisfaction-4.25
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 42%High School Diploma, 34%
Average age4747
Years of experience44

What does a machine maintenance technician do?

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.

What does a maintenance technician do?

Maintenance technicians are technicians who specialize in the preservation of office facilities. They have in-depth knowledge of how various office equipment or fixtures work so that they can immediately identify how to repair them in case of breakdowns. Maintenance technicians perform diagnostics and routine maintenance activities to ensure that everything in the office is running well. They immediately repair problems in fixtures or equipment to avoid any further damages or safety concerns. They should be familiar with occupational safety and health standards to ensure that the office is a safe place to work.

Machine maintenance technician vs maintenance technician salary

Machine maintenance technicians and maintenance technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Machine Maintenance TechnicianMaintenance Technician
Average salary$42,187$43,293
Salary rangeBetween $30,000 And $57,000Between $31,000 And $59,000
Highest paying CityCoon Rapids, MNRichmond, CA
Highest paying stateAlaskaRhode Island
Best paying companyKennametalAnheuser-Busch
Best paying industryManufacturingManufacturing

Differences between machine maintenance technician and maintenance technician education

There are a few differences between a machine maintenance technician and a maintenance technician in terms of educational background:

Machine Maintenance TechnicianMaintenance Technician
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 42%High School Diploma, 34%
Most common majorElectrical EngineeringElectrical Engineering Technology
Most common college--

Machine maintenance technician vs maintenance technician demographics

Here are the differences between machine maintenance technicians' and maintenance technicians' demographics:

Machine Maintenance TechnicianMaintenance Technician
Average age4747
Gender ratioMale, 96.6% Female, 3.4%Male, 95.7% Female, 4.3%
Race ratioBlack 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, 11.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 4.6% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage2%2%

Differences between machine maintenance technician and maintenance technician duties and responsibilities

Machine maintenance technician example responsibilities.

  • Operate mills, drills, surface grinders, sanders, and all shop equipment.
  • Work with metal lathes, milling machines, drill presses, grinders, etc.
  • Follow OSHA, USDA GMPs and HACCP protocols in all maintenance activities and other duties as assigned.
  • Involve in wiring, plumbing, mounting, leveling, squaring, and installing all types of machinery.
  • Maintain physical plant including HVAC and various systems including shop air, telephone, electrical, LAN and security.
  • Maintain equipment cleanliness during all process operations so as not to jeopardize product quality and/or purity.
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Maintenance technician example responsibilities.

  • Install, repair and troubleshoot electrical wiring, including switches, outlets, lights, ballast.
  • Monitor and document all temperature readings on boilers, chillers, and dry vac systems beginning and mid shift.
  • Perform preventative maintenance checks and services on exhaust fans, boilers, chiller units, automatic transfer switches, and generators.
  • Repair electrical equipment; replace faulty electrical switches; repair refrigeration equipment.
  • Handle trouble-shooting and repair of mechanical systems refrigerant recovery and charging of HVAC systems.
  • Facilitate commercial plumbing, electrical, light HVAC, and carpentry repairs in a laboratory facility environment
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Machine maintenance technician vs maintenance technician skills

Common machine maintenance technician skills
  • Preventative Maintenance, 13%
  • Hand Tools, 11%
  • PLC, 6%
  • CNC Machines, 4%
  • Production Equipment, 4%
  • Mechanical Equipment, 4%
Common maintenance technician skills
  • Plumbing, 10%
  • HVAC, 8%
  • Hand Tools, 7%
  • Customer Service, 6%
  • Ladders, 4%
  • Electrical Systems, 4%

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