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Mechanical Technician Vs Assembly Technician

The differences between mechanical technicians and assembly technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a mechanical technician has an average salary of $51,367, which is higher than the $34,952 average annual salary of an assembly technician.

The top three skills for a mechanical technician include preventive maintenance, hand tools and electro-mechanical. The most important skills for an assembly technician are customer service, hand tools, and lean manufacturing.

Mechanical technician vs assembly technician overview

Mechanical TechnicianAssembly Technician
Yearly Salary$51,367$34,952
Hourly rate$24.70$16.80
Growth Rate2%2%
Number Of Jobs106,99752,385
Job Satisfaction--
Most Common DegreeAssociate Degree, 38%High School Diploma, 34%
Average Age4549
Years Of Experience6-

What does a Mechanical Technician do?

The primary job of mechanical technicians is to help mechanical engineers design, develop, test, and manufacture mechanical devices such as machines and engines. They typically do varied tasks, including evaluating design sketches for new and changing tools, discussing changes with colleagues, and reviewing blueprints and instructions for projects. As a mechanical technician, you are also responsible for estimating equipment life, plant space, and labor costs. To become successful in this role, you need to have an associate degree in mechanical engineering technology, excellent communication skills, and mechanical skills.

What does an assembly technician do?

Assembly technicians are responsible for constructing small parts and components to create a new product according to the specifications of a client or a supervisor. An assembly technician performs diagnostic tests on the assembled product to ensure efficiency and conduct adjustments as needed. An assembly technician also provides manual instructional guides for product use and troubleshooting procedures. Assembly technicians must be knowledgeable about the technology and mechanical industry, as well as have the ability to analyze designs as a guide for creating high-quality products.

Mechanical technician vs assembly technician salary

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

Mechanical TechnicianAssembly Technician
Average Salary$51,367$34,952
Salary RangeBetween $38,000 And $68,000Between $28,000 And $43,000
Highest Paying CityOakland, CASunnyvale, CA
Highest Paying StateAlaskaWashington
Best Paying CompanyMetaJefferson Lab
Best Paying IndustryEnergyFinance

Differences between mechanical technician and assembly technician education

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

Mechanical TechnicianAssembly Technician
Most Common DegreeAssociate Degree, 38%High School Diploma, 34%
Most Common MajorElectrical EngineeringBusiness
Most Common CollegePurdue University-

Mechanical technician vs assembly technician demographics

Here are the differences between mechanical technicians' and assembly technicians' demographics:

Mechanical TechnicianAssembly Technician
Average Age4549
Gender RatioMale, 94.4% Female, 5.6%Male, 75.7% Female, 24.3%
Race RatioBlack or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 7.8% White, 60.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 2.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 9.8% White, 60.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between mechanical technician and assembly technician duties and responsibilities

Mechanical Technician Example Responsibilities.

  • Dispatch work accordingly, manage and assist team members with more complex repairs and diagnosis.
  • Operate heavy equipment including cranes, heavy loaders, bulldozers, backhoes, and tractors.
  • Service motor relate equipment such as AC/DC drives, motor starters, power distribution equipment, and cranes and hoists.
  • Wire DC breaker/AC breaker panels.
  • Repair and wiring of DC electrical motors.
  • Test ac induction, brushless, brush, stepper motors.
  • Show More

Assembly Technician Example Responsibilities.

  • Manage the flow of each pallet to ensure the group is able to produce the quality product.
  • Perform in microscope SMT hand soldering to IPC standards and rework BTC components.
  • Use proper electrical discharge PPE (personal protection equipment) in ESD zone properly to prevent unexpect incident or damage device.
  • Perform electro-mechanical tasks using a wide range of electronic equipment.
  • Install switches, gfi's.
  • Rework (complex wiring) to CCA's according to ECO's.
  • Show More

Mechanical technician vs assembly technician skills

Common Mechanical Technician Skills
  • Preventive Maintenance, 14%
  • Hand Tools, 10%
  • Electro-mechanical, 5%
  • Mechanical Equipment, 4%
  • PLC, 3%
  • Mechanical Systems, 3%
Common Assembly Technician Skills
  • Customer Service, 26%
  • Hand Tools, 12%
  • Lean Manufacturing, 4%
  • Safety Procedures, 4%
  • Basic Math, 3%
  • Sub Assemblies, 3%

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