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The differences between manufacturing production technicians and manufacturing associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a manufacturing associate has an average salary of $34,830, which is higher than the $29,352 average annual salary of a manufacturing production technician.
The top three skills for a manufacturing production technician include hand tools, production equipment and quality standards. The most important skills for a manufacturing associate are basic math, cell culture, and math.
| Manufacturing Production Technician | Manufacturing Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $29,352 | $34,830 |
| Hourly rate | $14.11 | $16.75 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 81,994 | 55,540 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Average age | 45 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 2 | - |
A manufacturing production technician specializes in handling and maintaining the equipment and machines for manufacturing procedures. Their responsibilities include performing installations and upgrades, preparing equipment, providing technical support to staff, troubleshooting problems, and performing repairs and adjustments. They must also inspect products and address issues and concerns, suggesting solutions to ensure that all products adhere to quality standards. Moreover, a manufacturing production technician must conduct regular maintenance checks on equipment and machines to maintain a safe and productive work environment.
Manufacturing associates typically have varied duties and responsibilities. These include preparing materials and equipment for production, operating manufacturing equipment such as washers, and maintaining material inventory. In addition, they are responsible for inspecting purchased equipment, parts, and components, and participating in process investigations. They also review and execute documents related to manufacturing and determine any problems in the manufacturing process. To become a successful manufacturing associate, you should have skills in good manufacturing practice (GMP) compliance, aseptic processing, and biotechnology.
Manufacturing production technicians and manufacturing associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Manufacturing Production Technician | Manufacturing Associate | |
| Average salary | $29,352 | $34,830 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $37,000 | Between $26,000 And $45,000 |
| Highest paying City | Portland, OR | Billerica, MA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | General Mills | Danaher |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a manufacturing production technician and a manufacturing associate in terms of educational background:
| Manufacturing Production Technician | Manufacturing Associate | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Business | Biology |
| Most common college | Stanford University | - |
Here are the differences between manufacturing production technicians' and manufacturing associates' demographics:
| Manufacturing Production Technician | Manufacturing Associate | |
| Average age | 45 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 63.7% Female, 36.3% | Male, 60.2% Female, 39.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 7.5% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.6% Asian, 7.1% White, 57.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 9% |