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The differences between plant electricians and maintenance electricians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a plant electrician and a maintenance electrician. Additionally, a plant electrician has an average salary of $62,953, which is higher than the $62,112 average annual salary of a maintenance electrician.
The top three skills for a plant electrician include PLC, electrical equipment and hand tools. The most important skills for a maintenance electrician are electrical equipment, hand tools, and preventative maintenance.
Plant electricians are electrical professionals who are responsible for maintaining equipment used in production or to generate electricity in industrial plants and factories. These electricians are required to maintain electrical equipment while providing routine repairs on their electrical components to ensure proper performance. They must inspect the electrical systems and equipment throughout the plant to identify hazards and defects. Plant electricians must also implement maintenance programs that are used to test equipment and diagnose an isolated system malfunction.
A maintenance electrician is responsible for monitoring the electrical systems of a building, inspecting the wiring and cables for any malfunctions, and perform preventive maintenance as needed to ensure its safety and efficiency. Maintenance electricians upgrade electrical network systems for optimal performance and replacing faulty wiring, as well as installing new equipment in the building as the management advises. They also analyze schematics and blueprints for electrical line placements and running diagnostic tests to identify possible defects for immediate resolution. A maintenance electrician must have excellent knowledge of the electrical industry, especially on recording maintenance reports and solutions.
Plant electricians and maintenance electricians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Plant Electrician | Maintenance Electrician | |
| Average salary | $62,953 | $62,112 |
| Salary range | Between $47,000 And $83,000 | Between $46,000 And $83,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, NJ | Saint Paul, MN |
| Highest paying state | Vermont | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Ford Motor | PBF Energy |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a plant electrician and a maintenance electrician in terms of educational background:
| Plant Electrician | Maintenance Electrician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 46% | Associate Degree, 44% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering Technology | Electrical Engineering Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between plant electricians' and maintenance electricians' demographics:
| Plant Electrician | Maintenance Electrician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 97.9% Female, 2.1% | Male, 96.8% Female, 3.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 2.3% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.4% Asian, 2.3% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 3% |