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The differences between plant technicians and 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 a maintenance technician. Additionally, a plant technician has an average salary of $46,164, which is higher than the $43,293 average annual salary of a maintenance technician.
The top three skills for a plant technician include preventive maintenance, ladders and data collection. The most important skills for a maintenance technician are plumbing, HVAC, and hand tools.
| Plant Technician | Maintenance Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $46,164 | $43,293 |
| Hourly rate | $22.19 | $20.81 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 146,543 | 178,450 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.25 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | High School Diploma, 34% |
| 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.
Maintenance technicians are technicians who specialize in the preservation of office facilities. They have in-depth knowledge of how various office equipment or fixtures work so that they can immediately identify how to repair them in case of breakdowns. Maintenance technicians perform diagnostics and routine maintenance activities to ensure that everything in the office is running well. They immediately repair problems in fixtures or equipment to avoid any further damages or safety concerns. They should be familiar with occupational safety and health standards to ensure that the office is a safe place to work.
Plant technicians and maintenance technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Plant Technician | Maintenance Technician | |
| Average salary | $46,164 | $43,293 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $67,000 | Between $31,000 And $59,000 |
| Highest paying City | Kent, WA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | BP America Inc | Anheuser-Busch |
| Best paying industry | Utilities | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a plant technician and a maintenance technician in terms of educational background:
| Plant Technician | Maintenance Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | High School Diploma, 34% |
| Most common major | Business | Electrical Engineering Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between plant technicians' and maintenance technicians' demographics:
| Plant Technician | Maintenance Technician | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.4% Female, 24.6% | Male, 95.7% Female, 4.3% |
| 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, 11.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 4.6% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |