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The differences between plant technicians and equipment maintenance technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a plant technician and an equipment maintenance technician. Additionally, a plant technician has an average salary of $46,164, which is higher than the $45,945 average annual salary of an equipment maintenance technician.
The top three skills for a plant technician include preventive maintenance, ladders and data collection. The most important skills for an equipment maintenance technician are equipment maintenance, hand tools, and preventive maintenance.
| Plant Technician | Equipment Maintenance Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $46,164 | $45,945 |
| Hourly rate | $22.19 | $22.09 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 146,543 | 168,523 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Associate Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A plant technician is in charge of overseeing plant operations, ensuring everything runs smoothly and efficiently. Their responsibilities include installing and upgrading machines and equipment, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of existing systems, implementing solutions to vulnerable or problem areas, and developing strategies to optimize plant operations. They must also perform regular maintenance checks, conducting corrective measures and adjustments as needed. Furthermore, a plant technician must provide technical support to employees, all while implementing the company's policies and regulations.
An equipment maintenance technician is responsible for ensuring the stability and efficiency of all production tools and equipment to support smooth business functions and operations. Equipment maintenance technicians conduct regular maintenance for optimization, repair defective components, and inspect equipment parts to identify possible upgrades and replacements. They also assemble equipment and machinery, requiring them to have excellent mechanical and critical-thinking skills to analyze schematics and blueprints accurately. An equipment maintenance technician must be highly communicative and organizational, especially in adhering to the highest safety standards and protocols during operations.
Plant technicians and equipment maintenance technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Plant Technician | Equipment Maintenance Technician | |
| Average salary | $46,164 | $45,945 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $67,000 | Between $35,000 And $60,000 |
| Highest paying City | Kent, WA | Hayward, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | BP America Inc | Vicor |
| Best paying industry | Utilities | Technology |
There are a few differences between a plant technician and an equipment maintenance technician in terms of educational background:
| Plant Technician | Equipment Maintenance Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Associate Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Business | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between plant technicians' and equipment maintenance technicians' demographics:
| Plant Technician | Equipment Maintenance Technician | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.4% Female, 24.6% | Male, 94.7% Female, 5.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.9% Asian, 4.6% White, 60.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 22.2% Asian, 4.3% White, 58.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |