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The differences between maintenance electricians and industrial maintenance technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a maintenance electrician, becoming an industrial maintenance technician takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a maintenance electrician has an average salary of $62,112, which is higher than the $50,649 average annual salary of an industrial maintenance technician.
The top three skills for a maintenance electrician include electrical equipment, hand tools and preventative maintenance. The most important skills for an industrial maintenance technician are industrial maintenance, hand tools, and PLC.
| Maintenance Electrician | Industrial Maintenance Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $62,112 | $50,649 |
| Hourly rate | $29.86 | $24.35 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 92,944 | 169,569 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | 4 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 44% | Associate Degree, 42% |
| Average age | 42 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
A maintenance electrician is responsible for monitoring the electrical systems of a building, inspecting the wiring and cables for any malfunctions, and perform preventive maintenance as needed to ensure its safety and efficiency. Maintenance electricians upgrade electrical network systems for optimal performance and replacing faulty wiring, as well as installing new equipment in the building as the management advises. They also analyze schematics and blueprints for electrical line placements and running diagnostic tests to identify possible defects for immediate resolution. A maintenance electrician must have excellent knowledge of the electrical industry, especially on recording maintenance reports and solutions.
An industrial maintenance technician is responsible for installing, maintaining, and repairing commercial and industrial machinery in a building or a manufacturing plant. You will perform typical duties that include ensuring all machines function properly through preventative maintenance service, conducting tests to ensure production machinery functions properly, and performing safety checks and routine maintenance. Other duties include collaborating with the production team, preparing maintenance reports, and instructing and guiding new employees. An industrial maintenance technician also assesses the machinery's functionality and fabricates parts for machine upgrades and repair.
Maintenance electricians and industrial maintenance technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Maintenance Electrician | Industrial Maintenance Technician | |
| Average salary | $62,112 | $50,649 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $83,000 | Between $38,000 And $66,000 |
| Highest paying City | Saint Paul, MN | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Alaska |
| Best paying company | PBF Energy | Boehringer Ingelheim |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a maintenance electrician and an industrial maintenance technician in terms of educational background:
| Maintenance Electrician | Industrial Maintenance Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 44% | Associate Degree, 42% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering Technology | Industrial Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between maintenance electricians' and industrial maintenance technicians' demographics:
| Maintenance Electrician | Industrial Maintenance Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.8% Female, 3.2% | Male, 96.5% Female, 3.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.4% Asian, 2.3% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 4.7% White, 63.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 2% |