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The differences between process control technicians and engineering assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a process control technician and an engineering assistant. Additionally, an engineering assistant has an average salary of $64,402, which is higher than the $52,452 average annual salary of a process control technician.
The top three skills for a process control technician include PLC, control systems and logic controllers. The most important skills for an engineering assistant are troubleshoot, C++, and worksheets.
| Process Control Technician | Engineering Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $52,452 | $64,402 |
| Hourly rate | $25.22 | $30.96 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 90,615 | 53,767 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Process control technicians require strong skills in PLC, process control systems, troubleshooting, calibration, and a desire for continuous improvement in addition to other skills. Those who choose this career path will be called to work with automated process control systems and assist in designing, creating, testing, and implementing process control panels.
An engineering assistant is responsible for supporting the engineering department's operations under the supervision of a head engineer. Engineering assistants help with operating tools and equipment, developing and analyzing designs, communicating with clients by responding to their inquiries and concerns, creating project plans, and identifying business opportunities to generate revenues and increase profitability. An engineering assistant must have excellent knowledge of the engineering disciplines and processes to carry out tasks within strict deadlines and under minimal supervision.
Process control technicians and engineering assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Process Control Technician | Engineering Assistant | |
| Average salary | $52,452 | $64,402 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $67,000 | Between $41,000 And $99,000 |
| Highest paying City | Odessa, TX | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | California |
| Best paying company | Stanford University | |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Energy |
There are a few differences between a process control technician and an engineering assistant in terms of educational background:
| Process Control Technician | Engineering Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | Purdue University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between process control technicians' and engineering assistants' demographics:
| Process Control Technician | Engineering Assistant | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.1% Female, 18.9% | Male, 68.8% Female, 31.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 7.5% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 11.2% White, 58.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |