Manufacturing engineering technician vs mechanical engineering technologist

The differences between manufacturing engineering technicians and mechanical engineering technologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a manufacturing engineering technician, becoming a mechanical engineering technologist takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a mechanical engineering technologist has an average salary of $57,409, which is higher than the $53,219 average annual salary of a manufacturing engineering technician.

The top three skills for a manufacturing engineering technician include continuous improvement, troubleshoot and production equipment. The most important skills for a mechanical engineering technologist are CAD, solidworks, and prototype.

Manufacturing engineering technician vs mechanical engineering technologist overview

	Manufacturing Engineering Technician	Mechanical Engineering Technologist
Yearly salary	$53,219	$57,409
Hourly rate	$25.59	$27.60
Growth rate	3%	3%
Number of jobs	99,347	120,125
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 43%	Bachelor's Degree, 46%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	4	6

What does a manufacturing engineering technician do?

A manufacturing engineering technician is responsible for supporting the manufacturing processes of industrial operations by providing technical assistance on the design development procedures. Manufacturing engineering technicians inspect the efficiency and consistency of plans and perform multiple diagnostic tests to ensure that the product performs to its highest condition. They also recommend cost-reduction techniques while providing high-quality outputs and deliverables. A manufacturing engineering technician must have excellent communication and technical skills, especially on troubleshooting equipment and writing progress reports for reference.

What does a mechanical engineering technologist do?

A Mechanical Engineering Technologist is responsible for developing and assembling mechanical parts and components, following the head engineer's design specifications. They identify resources for manufacturing, ensuring that the deliverables follow the high-quality standards and requirements. They also analyze the design and recommend adjustments for outputs, if there are any. A Mechanical Engineering Technologist operates various mechanical tools and equipment to perform tasks efficiently, requiring strict adherence to the safety protocols and regulations within the operational premises.

Manufacturing engineering technician vs mechanical engineering technologist salary

Manufacturing engineering technicians and mechanical engineering technologists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Manufacturing Engineering Technician	Mechanical Engineering Technologist
Average salary	$53,219	$57,409
Salary range	Between $37,000 And $75,000	Between $43,000 And $76,000
Highest paying City	Sunnyvale, CA	Santa Clara, CA
Highest paying state	Idaho	Alaska
Best paying company	Lam Research	Apple
Best paying industry	Finance	Automotive

Differences between manufacturing engineering technician and mechanical engineering technologist education

There are a few differences between a manufacturing engineering technician and a mechanical engineering technologist in terms of educational background:

	Manufacturing Engineering Technician	Mechanical Engineering Technologist
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 43%	Bachelor's Degree, 46%
Most common major	Electrical Engineering	Mechanical Engineering
Most common college	Purdue University	Northwestern University

Manufacturing engineering technician vs mechanical engineering technologist demographics

Here are the differences between manufacturing engineering technicians' and mechanical engineering technologists' demographics:

	Manufacturing Engineering Technician	Mechanical Engineering Technologist
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9%	Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 8.3% White, 60.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 9.2% White, 59.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between manufacturing engineering technician and mechanical engineering technologist duties and responsibilities

Manufacturing engineering technician example responsibilities.

Achieve multiple certifications per FDA and NRC guidelines for various internal processes critical to quality and safety.
Study ALTIC wafer overlie sigma improvement techniques.
Design equipment and parts with auto cad.
Exercise GMP in an FDA approve lab environment.
Create PCB, harness, jet, and needle drawings using SolidWorks and AutoCAD.
Design and operate with PLC systems, electrical, and troubleshooting for the manufacturing lines.

Mechanical engineering technologist example responsibilities.

Manage and coordinate a company wide transition from 2D AutoCAD to a 3D modeling environment.
Manage and distribute cad standards to contributing design consultants and assist with any design issues as necessary.
Test, troubleshoot, disassemble and repair mechanical equipment supporting the U.S. navy's MK30 underwater target program.
Certify parts and write reports to the ASME, ASTM, and CSA standards.
Circuit design and PCB layout.
Design of assembly jigs and fixtures.

Manufacturing engineering technician vs mechanical engineering technologist skills

Common manufacturing engineering technician skills

Continuous Improvement, 8%
Troubleshoot, 7%
Production Equipment, 5%
CAD, 4%
Laser, 4%
Lean Manufacturing, 4%

Common mechanical engineering technologist skills

CAD, 8%
Solidworks, 7%
Prototype, 6%
Engineering Drawings, 5%
Hand Tools, 4%
Mechanical Systems, 4%

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Manufacturing Engineering Technician vs Mechanical Engineering Technologist

Updated January 8, 2025

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