Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between molding technicians and fabrication technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a molding technician has an average salary of $40,696, which is higher than the $35,582 average annual salary of a fabrication technician.
The top three skills for a molding technician include preventative maintenance, hand tools and auxiliary equipment. The most important skills for a fabrication technician are hand tools, math, and customer service.
| Molding Technician | Fabrication Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $40,696 | $35,582 |
| Hourly rate | $19.57 | $17.11 |
| Growth rate | -5% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 10,231 | 109,734 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | Associate Degree, 29% |
| Average age | 45 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A Molding Technician specializes in molding materials such as plastic or metal. They are responsible for operating and calibrating machinery, adhering to product guidelines, conducting quality inspections on finished products, lifting heavy materials, and training new workforce members. There are also instances where they must troubleshoot equipment problems, perform basic repairs, coordinate with managers or engineers, and conduct regular maintenance checks. Molding Technicians must maintain an active communication line with staff while adhering to its safety policies and regulations.
Fabrication technicians are skilled employees who are responsible for using specialized equipment to assemble components for a variety of products or finished products. These technicians are required to perform inspections on the tools and mechanical equipment as well as provide maintenance and repair. They are required to complete the assembly of equipment by following the engineering drawings and specifications. Fabrication technicians must also follow established safety procedures when maintaining work areas and troubleshooting problems with machinery.
Molding technicians and fabrication technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Molding Technician | Fabrication Technician | |
| Average salary | $40,696 | $35,582 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $51,000 | Between $26,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | Kearney, NE | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | Cummins | Westinghouse Appliances Australia |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Finance |
There are a few differences between a molding technician and a fabrication technician in terms of educational background:
| Molding Technician | Fabrication Technician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 44% | Associate Degree, 29% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between molding technicians' and fabrication technicians' demographics:
| Molding Technician | Fabrication Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.5% Female, 11.5% | Male, 85.1% Female, 14.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 7.4% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 12.9% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 9.6% White, 55.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 5% |