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The differences between maintenance operators and preventive 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 operator and a preventive maintenance technician. Additionally, a preventive maintenance technician has an average salary of $40,935, which is higher than the $35,420 average annual salary of a maintenance operator.
The top three skills for a maintenance operator include hand tools, CDL and preventative maintenance. The most important skills for a preventive maintenance technician are customer service, hand tools, and HVAC.
| Maintenance Operator | Preventive Maintenance Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $35,420 | $40,935 |
| Hourly rate | $17.03 | $19.68 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 142,679 | 170,517 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | Associate Degree, 31% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Maintenance operators are skilled technicians who use a variety of small equipment and tools to perform and assist in the maintenance activities of a business establishment. These operators are required to assist the equipment manager in preparing preventative maintenance procedures so that they can increase productivity and reduce downtime of equipment. They must enforce safety rules and regulations and ensure that staff members are following them to prevent accidents in the facility. Maintenance operators must also train maintenance employees in performing proper preventative maintenance.
A preventive maintenance technician performs routine facility maintenance to prevent possible mechanical failure. The technicians change worn out machine parts before they can cause mechanical damage. They keep the facility operating. It is their job to conduct quality assessments, maintain inventory, and schedule repairs. Also, they see to it that machines are up and running at all times. They are expected to be equipped with skills in customer service, problem-solving, reading comprehension, business operation, and mechanical aptitude.
Maintenance operators and preventive maintenance technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Maintenance Operator | Preventive Maintenance Technician | |
| Average salary | $35,420 | $40,935 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $47,000 | Between $31,000 And $52,000 |
| Highest paying City | Urban Honolulu, HI | Owatonna, MN |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Continental Resources | Kiewit |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a maintenance operator and a preventive maintenance technician in terms of educational background:
| Maintenance Operator | Preventive Maintenance Technician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | Associate Degree, 31% |
| Most common major | Business | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between maintenance operators' and preventive maintenance technicians' demographics:
| Maintenance Operator | Preventive Maintenance Technician | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.6% Female, 7.4% | Male, 91.8% Female, 8.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.5% Asian, 4.6% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 4.6% White, 59.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |