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The differences between pipeline technicians and field technician engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a pipeline technician and a field technician engineer. Additionally, a field technician engineer has an average salary of $50,370, which is higher than the $40,614 average annual salary of a pipeline technician.
The top three skills for a pipeline technician include DOT, safety equipment and excavations. The most important skills for a field technician engineer are preventive maintenance, technical support, and RF.
| Pipeline Technician | Field Technician Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $40,614 | $50,370 |
| Hourly rate | $19.53 | $24.22 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 11,313 | 73,704 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 33% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A pipeline technician specializes in the maintenance of pipeline systems, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Their responsibilities include liaising with clients and traveling to their locations, assessing the site conditions, performing tests and inspections using special equipment and computer programs, and repairing leaks and other detected issues promptly and efficiently. Furthermore, as a pipeline technician, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with team members, coordinating with them every step of the way for a safe and effective service.
Field service technicians or engineers are engineering professionals who are dispatched to specific locations to perform several tasks such as maintenance, service repairs, and installing electrical and engineering equipment products. These engineers are required to effectively communicate with their customers about their concerns related to equipment maintenance and repair so that they address them immediately. They must travel to customer sites to conduct survey and document existing field conditions and installation accuracy. Field service engineers must also conduct training for service technicians and operators at dealer and customer locations.
Pipeline technicians and field technician engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Pipeline Technician | Field Technician Engineer | |
| Average salary | $40,614 | $50,370 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $63,000 | Between $33,000 And $76,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Los Angeles, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Medtronic |
| Best paying industry | - | Energy |
There are a few differences between a pipeline technician and a field technician engineer in terms of educational background:
| Pipeline Technician | Field Technician Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 33% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Business | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | - | Northeastern University |
Here are the differences between pipeline technicians' and field technician engineers' demographics:
| Pipeline Technician | Field Technician Engineer | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.7% Female, 4.3% | Male, 92.3% Female, 7.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 10.4% White, 56.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 10.4% White, 55.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |