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The differences between mechanical assembly technicians and assembly inspectors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a mechanical assembly technician has an average salary of $40,177, which is higher than the $28,624 average annual salary of an assembly inspector.
The top three skills for a mechanical assembly technician include hand tools, calipers and sub assemblies. The most important skills for an assembly inspector are hand tools, line assembly, and inspection results.
| Mechanical Assembly Technician | Assembly Inspector | |
| Yearly salary | $40,177 | $28,624 |
| Hourly rate | $19.32 | $13.76 |
| Growth rate | 2% | - |
| Number of jobs | 34,754 | 32,924 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 37% | High School Diploma, 46% |
| Average age | 45 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | - |
A mechanical assembly technician performs tensioning and torque-related services on bolted applications like flanges for mechanical assembly piping and mechanical assembly hardware using documenting results and calibrated mechanical assembly torque wrenches. Besides interpreting blueprints and performing torque with manual torque wrenches or hydraulic torque wrenches, a mechanical assembly technician also uses and completes the company and customer paperwork and forms correctly. Furthermore, a mechanical assembly technician uses company vehicles, equipment, and tools and maintains and cares for them properly.
An assembly inspector is primarily in charge of inspecting products, usually furniture and fixtures, to ensure compliance with production standards. Their responsibilities typically include examining surfaces to identify any dents or damages, conducting measurements and assessments, marking identified issues, reviewing documentation, and maintaining records, producing detailed reports for teams and managers. Moreover, as an assembly inspector, it is essential to lead and encourage staff to reach goals, all while implementing the company's production standards and policies.
Mechanical assembly technicians and assembly inspectors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mechanical Assembly Technician | Assembly Inspector | |
| Average salary | $40,177 | $28,624 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $51,000 | Between $22,000 And $35,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | Santa Cruz, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Washington |
| Best paying company | Baker Hughes | Northrop Grumman |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a mechanical assembly technician and an assembly inspector in terms of educational background:
| Mechanical Assembly Technician | Assembly Inspector | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 37% | High School Diploma, 46% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | Purdue University | - |
Here are the differences between mechanical assembly technicians' and assembly inspectors' demographics:
| Mechanical Assembly Technician | Assembly Inspector | |
| Average age | 45 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.3% Female, 13.7% | Male, 40.7% Female, 59.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 11.2% White, 58.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 13.2% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 9.6% White, 57.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |