Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between metrology technicians and instrument technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a metrology technician and an instrument technician. Additionally, a metrology technician has an average salary of $60,212, which is higher than the $56,918 average annual salary of an instrument technician.
The top three skills for a metrology technician include calibration procedures, hand tools and calipers. The most important skills for an instrument technician are patients, surgical instruments, and cleanliness.
| Metrology Technician | Instrument Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $60,212 | $56,918 |
| Hourly rate | $28.95 | $27.36 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 28,301 | 45,965 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 48% | Associate Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
Metrology technicians maintain and use metrology equipment. They need to calibrate the measuring instruments, test the equipment to ensure it works well, and ensure the equipment is precise and performs accurately. They also install, adjust, and maintain equipment regularly and conduct repairs on equipment. This position requires experience with metrology and a mechanical certification.
An instrument technician is an individual who is responsible for testing, repairing, and inspecting all manufacturing equipment to ensure proper operations of the machines. Instrument technicians collaborate with engineers to develop and produce equipment design and provide advice to process technicians about equipment operation. They remove defective equipment so that they can decontaminate and replace the damaged ones with new machines. They are also required by their employer to obtain certification in the field of instrumentation technology.
Metrology technicians and instrument technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Metrology Technician | Instrument Technician | |
| Average salary | $60,212 | $56,918 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $97,000 | Between $38,000 And $83,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Palo Alto, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | - | Phillips 66 |
| Best paying industry | - | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a metrology technician and an instrument technician in terms of educational background:
| Metrology Technician | Instrument Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 48% | Associate Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Northeastern University |
Here are the differences between metrology technicians' and instrument technicians' demographics:
| Metrology Technician | Instrument Technician | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 87.0% Female, 13.0% | Male, 83.4% Female, 16.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 8.0% White, 70.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 8.0% White, 70.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |