Mechanical engineering technologist vs engineering technician

The differences between mechanical engineering technologists 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 engineering technologist, 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 $57,409 average annual salary of a mechanical engineering technologist.

The top three skills for a mechanical engineering technologist include CAD, solidworks and prototype. The most important skills for an engineering technician are technical support, data collection, and test equipment.

Mechanical engineering technologist vs engineering technician overview

	Mechanical Engineering Technologist	Engineering Technician
Yearly salary	$57,409	$60,273
Hourly rate	$27.60	$28.98
Growth rate	3%	3%
Number of jobs	120,125	111,343
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 46%	Bachelor's Degree, 46%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	6	4

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.

What does an engineering technician do?

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 engineering technologist vs engineering technician salary

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

	Mechanical Engineering Technologist	Engineering Technician
Average salary	$57,409	$60,273
Salary range	Between $43,000 And $76,000	Between $37,000 And $96,000
Highest paying City	Santa Clara, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Alaska	Washington
Best paying company	Apple	Western Digital
Best paying industry	Automotive	Technology

Differences between mechanical engineering technologist and engineering technician education

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

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

Mechanical engineering technologist vs engineering technician demographics

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

	Mechanical Engineering Technologist	Engineering Technician
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 90.6% Female, 9.4%	Male, 85.9% Female, 14.1%
Race ratio	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%	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%

Differences between mechanical engineering technologist and engineering technician duties and responsibilities

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.

Engineering technician example responsibilities.

Used Microsoft SharePoint to manage projects, web base collaboration, alerts and for document management.
Achieve UL certification for thermal overload protection used in motor applications.
Manage equipment database and organize annual equipment calibration require by internal quality control and ISO standards.
Manage and distribute cad standards to contributing design consultants and assist with any design issues as necessary.
Maintain engineering lab equipment: troubleshoot and repair any faulty electronic or mechanical malfunctions, and calibrate test equipment.
Specialize in software and hardware engineering to military standards and project management of DoD contracts.

Mechanical engineering technologist vs engineering technician skills

Common mechanical engineering technologist skills

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

Common engineering technician skills

Technical Support, 5%
Data Collection, 4%
Test Equipment, 4%
Asphalt, 4%
Construction Projects, 4%
Construction Materials, 4%

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Mechanical Engineering Technologist
Mechanical Engineering Technologist vs Engineering Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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