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Maintenance engineer vs facility maintenance technician

The differences between maintenance engineers and facility 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 maintenance engineer and a facility maintenance technician. Additionally, a maintenance engineer has an average salary of $47,133, which is higher than the $39,575 average annual salary of a facility maintenance technician.

The top three skills for a maintenance engineer include plumbing, HVAC and guest rooms. The most important skills for a facility maintenance technician are plumbing, HVAC, and hand tools.

Maintenance engineer vs facility maintenance technician overview

Maintenance EngineerFacility Maintenance Technician
Yearly salary$47,133$39,575
Hourly rate$22.66$19.03
Growth rate5%5%
Number of jobs97,957171,217
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 48%Associate Degree, 31%
Average age4747
Years of experience44

What does a maintenance engineer do?

A maintenance engineer is responsible for the maintenance of industrial machinery and inspects equipment defects for immediate troubleshooting or replacement as needed. Maintenance engineers install and upgrade system components to improve system optimization and perform diagnostic systems to locate any adjustments. They also conduct routine checks, assist clients with technical faults, and ensure that the equipment works safely for certain operations. A maintenance engineer must have excellent knowledge of the mechanical industry to address technical malfunctions immediately.

What does a facility maintenance technician do?

A facility maintenance technician is responsible for inspecting the safety and security of the facilities, including the operational tools, equipment, and machinery, to avoid potential hazards in the production area and maintain timely project deliverables. Facility maintenance technicians perform a regular check on the equipment, identifying glitches and inconsistencies, and repairing defective components to avoid delays in operation. They also install and assemble new machines, requiring them to have comprehensive knowledge of reading schematics and blueprints. A facility maintenance technician records incident reports and suggests immediate safety actions to management.

Maintenance engineer vs facility maintenance technician salary

Maintenance engineers and facility maintenance technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Maintenance EngineerFacility Maintenance Technician
Average salary$47,133$39,575
Salary rangeBetween $29,000 And $74,000Between $29,000 And $52,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NYAnchorage, AK
Highest paying stateNew JerseyAlaska
Best paying companyHalliburtonThe American Musical and Dramatic Academy
Best paying industry-Manufacturing

Differences between maintenance engineer and facility maintenance technician education

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

Maintenance EngineerFacility Maintenance Technician
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 48%Associate Degree, 31%
Most common majorMechanical EngineeringElectrical Engineering Technology
Most common college--

Maintenance engineer vs facility maintenance technician demographics

Here are the differences between maintenance engineers' and facility maintenance technicians' demographics:

Maintenance EngineerFacility Maintenance Technician
Average age4747
Gender ratioMale, 94.6% Female, 5.4%Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 4.4% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 4.5% White, 59.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage2%2%

Differences between maintenance engineer and facility maintenance technician duties and responsibilities

Maintenance engineer example responsibilities.

  • Manage all contract work including snow removal, mowing, asphalt work, and signage.
  • Assist in and/or troubleshoot the building automation system and make recommendations for maintenance and repair to building control systems.
  • Maintain cleanliness and orderliness of facility and grounds per federal OSHA requirements.
  • Perform commercial maintenance/troubleshooting for plumbing, electrical and mechanical systems on commercial buildings and apartment complexes.
  • Work with, cut, and install PVC piping.
  • Well verse with PLC/ CNC diagnostic tools.
  • Show more

Facility maintenance technician example responsibilities.

  • Maintain troubleshoot all facility equipment.
  • Certify in CPR and a use through the state of Minnesota.
  • Train and certify to operate floor buffers and walk behind floor scrubbers.
  • Develop an in-house CPR program saving the center an unnecessary yearly expense.
  • Operate high voltage equipment such as buffers, automatic scrubbers and high-pressure washers.
  • Remove snow from sidewalks using snow blowers, snow shovels and snow melting chemicals.
  • Show more

Maintenance engineer vs facility maintenance technician skills

Common maintenance engineer skills
  • Plumbing, 13%
  • HVAC, 10%
  • Guest Rooms, 5%
  • Ladders, 5%
  • Maintenance Tasks, 4%
  • OSHA, 4%
Common facility maintenance technician skills
  • Plumbing, 17%
  • HVAC, 14%
  • Hand Tools, 5%
  • Ladders, 5%
  • Customer Service, 5%
  • OSHA, 3%

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