If you're the kind of person who's always up for a challenge, likes practical and hands-on work within a team, and enjoys making a daily impact on company performance, a career as a process technician might be a perfect fit for you. As a process technician, your core duty is to monitor and improve the various manufacturing processes. In this role, you may wear several hats as you analyze operations, develop and adjust machine parameters, test batch quality, evaluate quality requirements, and, in fact, do everything necessary to ensure efficient, ongoing production.

As a process technician, you may work in a wide variety of industries. From water treatment to power generation plants, you could work anywhere that has manufacturing processes. Typically, you will work alongside engineers to recommend and implement structure methods that help reduce production costs. You may spend most of your time on the factory floor administering and analyzing the manufacturing processes. Usually you will work for 40 hours a week. However, you may need to work in shifts in order to report machine faults or breakdown.

A profession as a process technician is a long-term career that can bring you the excellent benefits of a good salary, job advancement opportunities, and a chance to work with your hands using cutting-edge technology in manufacturing. Not only that, but it's a role with minimum education requirements. You may become a process technician with a high school diploma or a vocational certificate. However, earning an associate's degree in process technology or a related field may help elevate your career. To be successful, you must demonstrate excellent analytical and observational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to troubleshoot processes and instrumentation. With advanced experience and technical skills, you may even take on the role of an industrial engineer or engineering manager.

What Does a Process Technician Do

There are certain skills that many process technicians have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed analytical skills, communication skills and detail oriented.

Learn more about what a Process Technician does

How To Become a Process Technician

If you're interested in becoming a process technician, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 35.9% of process technicians have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 2.8% of process technicians have master's degrees. Even though some process technicians have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.

Learn More About How To Become a Process Technician

Process Technician Career Paths

Average Salary for a Process Technician

Process Technicians in America make an average salary of $39,462 per year or $19 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $51,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $30,000 per year.
Average Process Technician Salary
$39,462 Yearly
$18.97 hourly

What Am I Worth?

salary-calculator

Roles and Types of Process Technician

The role of a process technician includes a wide range of responsibilities. These responsibilities can vary based on an individual's specific job, company, or industry.Here are some general process technician responsibilities:

  • Perform core process operations, which may include: media prep, fermentation, recovery, dcs automation, packaging, loading & unloading trucks,
  • Properly troubleshoot and resolve machine/equipment issues in a safe, efficient
  • Must be able to troubleshoot and understand the root cause in order to make the necessary changes

There are several types of process technician, including:

Technician

Role:

To be a technician, you have to know your stuff. Some may refer to you as an expert in your field or maybe people will know you as skilled in an art or craft. Then again, you may just be needed to look after technical equipment.

Your workload as a technician will vary, depending on what you're trained in. You may be needed to set up a new computer system or maybe you'll need to fix an electricity problem. Either way, you'll probably only need to work 40 hours a week.

The degree of education required for this job depends on what you're specific skillset is. Some technicians only need a high school diploma, others may want to complete an associate's program or earn a certificate to help their employment opportunities. There's definitely something for everyone in the field of technicians.

  • Average Salary: $38,045
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Engineering Technician

Role:

Equipment, construction and design all have one thing in common. They all need to be inspected and tested by engineering technicians. Once you've done that, then it's time to type up a report of what you analyzed.

Occassionally, you'll be able to help draw up blueprints and plans for products and equipment. If you like coloring inside the lines, this job may be perfect for you. While you won't be coloring inside any lines (probably), you will get to draw very straight lines which can be aesthetically pleasing.

Engineering technicians can usually get by with just a bachelor's degree. That's enough to appease the average employer.

  • Average Salary: $60,273
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree

Production Operator

Role:

Have you ever wondered what is the official job role for those people in charge of work, like assembling parts in a factory? Well, I certainly have. I never used to think too much and assumed those people magically appeared as part of the factory. But they are actually called production operators and you can apply for this role, too, with little experience. This role is fun and exposes you to the way different things connect together, but it requires physical stamina and high concentration levels.

Daily, a production operator is involved in activities such as undertaking product assembly, performing product packaging, maintaining the production line machinery, and achieving production line targets. Besides that, they also need to clean the production floor and comply with health and safety guidelines.

Employers require production operators to have a minimum of a high school diploma and have the stamina to stand on their feet during work operations. This role earns, on average, $14 per hour and suits individuals passionate about understanding assembly lines.

  • Average Salary: $35,185
  • Degree: High School Diploma

States With The Most Process Technician Jobs

Mouse over a state to see the number of active process technician jobs in each state. The darker areas on the map show where process technicians earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.

Average Salary: Job Openings:

Number Of Process Technician Jobs By State

RankStateNumber of JobsAverage Salary
1California3,639$46,171
2Texas1,919$43,286
3Florida1,870$36,821
4Massachusetts1,564$45,014
5Illinois1,463$45,377
6North Carolina1,380$37,238
7New York1,373$40,522
8Georgia1,240$41,697
9Pennsylvania1,207$40,294
10Ohio1,131$35,330
11Indiana1,070$35,717
12Virginia1,058$35,670
13Michigan1,048$40,092
14Minnesota998$39,355
15Wisconsin894$34,978
16New Jersey877$45,729
17Maryland801$42,513
18Arizona772$46,098
19Missouri752$39,485
20Colorado747$40,032
21Washington660$43,631
22Tennessee616$36,048
23Iowa602$39,123
24Kentucky563$38,005
25South Carolina529$44,807
26Utah517$35,544
27Alabama509$39,046
28Oregon470$39,857
29Connecticut432$48,117
30Kansas382$39,846
31New Hampshire281$42,627
32Maine273$41,668
33Arkansas259$40,676
34Louisiana255$37,887
35Mississippi241$39,122
36Oklahoma232$38,586
37Nebraska228$37,007
38Nevada214$39,958
39Idaho192$36,510
40Delaware190$37,162
41West Virginia178$37,270
42New Mexico162$45,548
43Rhode Island132$50,761
44Vermont109$39,599
45Alaska101$39,725
46Montana100$38,401
47North Dakota90$36,034
48South Dakota78$31,152
49Hawaii69$49,763
50Wyoming53$40,104

Process Technician Education

Process Technician Majors

19.9 %
9.3 %

Process Technician Degrees

Bachelors

35.9 %

Associate

28.4 %

High School Diploma

21.6 %

Top Colleges for Process Technicians

1. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-State Tuition

$9,992

Enrollment

33,495

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

3. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$6,798

Enrollment

31,503

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-State Tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

5. Bowling Green State University

Bowling Green, OH • Private

In-State Tuition

$11,105

Enrollment

13,729

6. University of Wisconsin - Stout

Menomonie, WI • Private

In-State Tuition

$9,457

Enrollment

7,445

7. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-State Tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

8. Texas State University

San Marcos, TX • Private

In-State Tuition

$10,280

Enrollment

34,187

9. San Jose State University

San Jose, CA • Private

In-State Tuition

$7,796

Enrollment

27,125

10. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC • Private

In-State Tuition

$3,926

Enrollment

9,835

Top Skills For a Process Technician

The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 13.3% of process technicians listed basic math on their resume, but soft skills such as analytical skills and communication skills are important as well.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Process Technician Resume templates

Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Process Technician templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Process Technician resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.

Process Technician Resume
Process Technician Resume
Process Technician Resume
Process Technician Resume
Process Technician Resume
Process Technician Resume
Process Technician Resume
Process Technician Resume
Process Technician Resume
Process Technician Resume
Process Technician Resume
Process Technician Resume
Process Technician Resume
Process Technician Resume
Process Technician Resume
Process Technician Resume

Process Technician diversity

Process Technician Gender Distribution

Male
Male
73%
Female
Female
27%

After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:

  • Among process technicians, 26.8% of them are women, while 73.2% are men.

  • The most common race/ethnicity among process technicians is White, which makes up 61.0% of all process technicians.

  • The most common foreign language among process technicians is Spanish at 58.6%.

Online Courses For Process Technician That You May Like

Advertising Disclosure  

1. Process Improvement

coursera

In this course you will focus on process improvement. You will learn how to set organizational priorities for continuous process improvement, how to execute process improvement projects, and how to sustain the initiative for continuous improvements. You will be able to: • Relate underlying principles to frameworks and techniques used for process improvement • Synthesize information to make decisions for organizational initiatives and process improvement • Apply analytical techniques for...

2. Data-Driven Process Improvement

coursera

By the end of this course, learners are empowered to implement data-driven process improvement objectives at their organization. The course covers: the business case for IoT (Internet of Things), the strategic importance of aligning operations and performance goals, best practices for collecting data, and facilitating a process mapping activity to visualize and analyze a process’s flow of materials and information. Learners are prepared to focus efforts around business needs, evaluate what the...

3. Leadership, Business Process Improvement, & Process Mapping!

udemy
4.4
(1,311)

Learn the leadership, communication, and process mapping skills to accelerate your career!...

Show More Online Courses For Process Technician
Job type you want
Full Time
Part Time
Internship
Temporary

Best States For a Process Technician

Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a process technician. The best states for people in this position are Rhode Island, Hawaii, Connecticut, and California. Process technicians make the most in Rhode Island with an average salary of $50,761. Whereas in Hawaii and Connecticut, they would average $49,763 and $48,117, respectively. While process technicians would only make an average of $46,171 in California, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.

1. Arizona

Total Process Technician Jobs: 772
Highest 10% Earn:
$64,000
Location Quotient:
1.09

2. Connecticut

Total Process Technician Jobs: 432
Highest 10% Earn:
$68,000
Location Quotient:
1.07

3. Rhode Island

Total Process Technician Jobs: 132
Highest 10% Earn:
$73,000
Location Quotient:
0.9
Full List Of Best States For Process Technicians

How Do Process Technicians Rate Their Jobs?

3/5

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Process Technician Reviews

4.0
Jul 2020
Pros

Salary, benefits, and the ability to move up.

Cons

It is hard to get a job at a refinery


2.0
Sep 2019
Pros

Active handling machine and repair

Cons

Data collection and send report sit one place not do nothing at all Boring work


Working as a Process Technician? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall Rating*
Career Growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Top Process Technician Employers

Most Common Employers For Process Technician

RankCompanyAverage SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
1Merck$59,852$28.7768
2Ball$54,254$26.0877
3Motorola Solutions$48,206$23.1894
4ARUP Laboratories$47,883$23.0261
5Intel$46,991$22.5989
6Corning Incorporated$45,883$22.0671
7Plastipak$43,475$20.90165
8Nationwide$42,348$20.3657
9Cree$41,156$19.7975
10Cargill$41,151$19.78243

Process Technician Videos

Becoming a Process Technician FAQs

Do You Need A Degree To Be A Process Technician?

No, you do not need a degree to be a process technician. However, many process technicians require completing an associate's degree or technical certificate.

In fact, 58% of process technicians have either a bachelor's degree or an associate's degree. The remaining process technicians have either a vocational or technical certification or several years of job experience.

How Long Does It Take To Become A Process Technician?

It takes between 1 to 2 years to become a process technician. The time it takes is dependent on the program itself and whether you earn an associate's degree or vocational certification. In some cases, prospective process technicians may opt to earn a four-year bachelor's degree.

How Much Do Process Control Technicians Make?

A process control technician makes $46,000 a year, on average ($22.53 an hour). The range in how much a process control technician can make - starts from as little as $36,000 to as much as $59,000 a year. Factors such as location and industry impact how much a process control technician can make.

Is A Process Technician An Engineer?

No, a process technician is not an engineer. While a process technician can work closely with engineers, their training and roles are different.

For instance, process technicians assist engineers, whereas engineers oversee employees and manage projects. Process technicians are the ones who draft rough layouts of projects, whereas engineers are responsible for developing the projects from conception to completion.

What Are The Responsibilities Of A Process Technician?

The responsibilities of a process technician are to monitor and improve manufacturing processes. While their specific duties vary depending on the industry, they are generally responsible for monitoring and adjusting machine parameters, testing batch quality, and reporting equipment malfunctions.

What Qualifications Do You Need To Be A Technician?

The qualifications needed to become a technician are, at minimum, a high school diploma or equivalent and certification. Additional education and experience may be required and are typically desirable.

What Type Of Degree Is Most Commonly Recommended When Hiring A Process Technician?

An associate's degree is most commonly recommended when hiring a process technician. Although some process technicians earn a four-year degree, it takes anywhere from 1 to 2 years to become a process technician.

Search For Process Technician Jobs