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The differences between mechanical assembly technicians and engineering technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a mechanical assembly technician, becoming an engineering technician takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an engineering technician has an average salary of $60,273, which is higher than the $40,177 average annual salary of a mechanical assembly technician.
The top three skills for a mechanical assembly technician include hand tools, calipers and sub assemblies. The most important skills for an engineering technician are technical support, data collection, and test equipment.
| Mechanical Assembly Technician | Engineering Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $40,177 | $60,273 |
| Hourly rate | $19.32 | $28.98 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 34,754 | 111,343 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 37% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
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 Engineering Technician's duties vary according to the industry or company, whether mechanical, industrial, civil, agricultural, or more. However, most of the time, the responsibilities often revolve around resolving technical issues, working with and assisting Engineers in building, assembling, designing, gathering and testing data, and conducting more manual activities. Furthermore, Engineering Technicians can specialize and work in various fields after a certain training period, closely mentored or monitored by an engineer or someone with extensive expertise.
Mechanical assembly technicians and engineering technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mechanical Assembly Technician | Engineering Technician | |
| Average salary | $40,177 | $60,273 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $51,000 | Between $37,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Washington |
| Best paying company | Baker Hughes | Western Digital |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Technology |
There are a few differences between a mechanical assembly technician and an engineering technician in terms of educational background:
| Mechanical Assembly Technician | Engineering Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 37% | Bachelor's Degree, 46% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Purdue University | Purdue University |
Here are the differences between mechanical assembly technicians' and engineering technicians' demographics:
| Mechanical Assembly Technician | Engineering Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.3% Female, 13.7% | Male, 85.9% Female, 14.1% |
| 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, 9.5% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 9.2% White, 59.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |