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The differences between mechanical technicians and tool technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a mechanical technician and a tool technician. Additionally, a mechanical technician has an average salary of $51,367, which is higher than the $42,908 average annual salary of a tool technician.
The top three skills for a mechanical technician include preventive maintenance, hand tools and electro-mechanical. The most important skills for a tool technician are grinders, hand tools, and CNC.
| Mechanical Technician | Tool Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $51,367 | $42,908 |
| Hourly rate | $24.70 | $20.63 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 106,997 | 78,258 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 38% | High School Diploma, 33% |
| Average age | 45 | 54 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
Tool technicians are skilled professionals who are responsible for repairing a variety of pneumatic and hand tools as well as disassemble defective electrical equipment in a manufacturing firm using these hand tools. These technicians are required to coordinate with other areas of the company to schedule and perform preventive maintenance duties. They must provide support for CNC operators by setting up the caliper and micrometer of all the CNC machines. Tool technicians must also assist coworkers in ordering materials and purchasing machine parts.
Mechanical technicians and tool technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mechanical Technician | Tool Technician | |
| Average salary | $51,367 | $42,908 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $68,000 | Between $29,000 And $61,000 |
| Highest paying City | Oakland, CA | Fort Wayne, IN |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Indiana |
| Best paying company | Meta | Rivian |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Energy |
There are a few differences between a mechanical technician and a tool technician in terms of educational background:
| Mechanical Technician | Tool Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 38% | High School Diploma, 33% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | Purdue University | - |
Here are the differences between mechanical technicians' and tool technicians' demographics:
| Mechanical Technician | Tool Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 54 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.4% Female, 5.6% | Male, 92.0% Female, 8.0% |
| Race ratio | Black 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, 2.4% Unknown, 2.8% Hispanic or Latino, 6.5% Asian, 2.7% White, 84.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 3% |