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The differences between machines technicians and fabrication technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a machines technician has an average salary of $39,754, which is higher than the $35,582 average annual salary of a fabrication technician.
The top three skills for a machines technician include CNC, hand tools and calipers. The most important skills for a fabrication technician are hand tools, math, and customer service.
| Machines Technician | Fabrication Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $39,754 | $35,582 |
| Hourly rate | $19.11 | $17.11 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 106,175 | 109,734 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 34% | Associate Degree, 29% |
| Average age | 48 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | - |
A machine technician can often be seen in a manufacturing company, factories, processing centers, and machine shops. They typically work as the apprentice of machine engineers that are responsible for ensuring that all machinery and machine tools are working properly. A technician operates, installs, maintains, inspects, and repairs equipment depending on what industry they are working in, whether it may be an industrial or automotive setup. They must be keen on detail and keep the machines or equipment to the highest quality standard at all times.
Fabrication technicians are skilled employees who are responsible for using specialized equipment to assemble components for a variety of products or finished products. These technicians are required to perform inspections on the tools and mechanical equipment as well as provide maintenance and repair. They are required to complete the assembly of equipment by following the engineering drawings and specifications. Fabrication technicians must also follow established safety procedures when maintaining work areas and troubleshooting problems with machinery.
Machines technicians and fabrication technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Machines Technician | Fabrication Technician | |
| Average salary | $39,754 | $35,582 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $52,000 | Between $26,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | Los Angeles, CA | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | ABB | Westinghouse Appliances Australia |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Finance |
There are a few differences between a machines technician and a fabrication technician in terms of educational background:
| Machines Technician | Fabrication Technician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 34% | Associate Degree, 29% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between machines technicians' and fabrication technicians' demographics:
| Machines Technician | Fabrication Technician | |
| Average age | 48 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.1% Female, 14.9% | Male, 85.1% Female, 14.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 3.4% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 12.9% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 9.6% White, 55.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 5% |