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The differences between machines technicians and maintenance 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 machines technician, becoming a maintenance technician takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a maintenance technician has an average salary of $43,293, which is higher than the $39,754 average annual salary of a machines technician.
The top three skills for a machines technician include CNC, hand tools and calipers. The most important skills for a maintenance technician are plumbing, HVAC, and hand tools.
| Machines Technician | Maintenance Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $39,754 | $43,293 |
| Hourly rate | $19.11 | $20.81 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 106,175 | 178,450 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.25 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 34% | High School Diploma, 34% |
| Average age | 48 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
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.
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.
Machines technicians and maintenance technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Machines Technician | Maintenance Technician | |
| Average salary | $39,754 | $43,293 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $52,000 | Between $31,000 And $59,000 |
| Highest paying City | Los Angeles, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | ABB | Anheuser-Busch |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a machines technician and a maintenance technician in terms of educational background:
| Machines Technician | Maintenance Technician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 34% | High School Diploma, 34% |
| Most common major | Business | Electrical Engineering Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between machines technicians' and maintenance technicians' demographics:
| Machines Technician | Maintenance Technician | |
| Average age | 48 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.1% Female, 14.9% | Male, 95.7% Female, 4.3% |
| 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, 11.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 4.6% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |