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The differences between process technicians and fabrication technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a process technician has an average salary of $39,462, which is higher than the $35,582 average annual salary of a fabrication technician.
The top three skills for a process technician include basic math, patients and OSHA. The most important skills for a fabrication technician are hand tools, math, and customer service.
| Process Technician | Fabrication Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $39,462 | $35,582 |
| Hourly rate | $18.97 | $17.11 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 74,367 | 109,734 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 36% | Associate Degree, 29% |
| Average age | 45 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
A process technician is responsible for managing the equipment and machinery used for various industries, such as manufacturing and engineering. Process technicians must have a strong knowledge of the mechanical industry, especially on operating certain equipment types and making adjustments on its features as needed, depending on the needs of the operation. They also run diagnostic tests to check a machine's working condition to ensure that it's free of any inconsistencies. A process technician also helps develop structure methods by communicating with the technical team and escalating all defective findings to the supervisor.
Fabrication technicians are skilled employees who are responsible for using specialized equipment to assemble components for a variety of products or finished products. These technicians are required to perform inspections on the tools and mechanical equipment as well as provide maintenance and repair. They are required to complete the assembly of equipment by following the engineering drawings and specifications. Fabrication technicians must also follow established safety procedures when maintaining work areas and troubleshooting problems with machinery.
Process technicians and fabrication technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Process Technician | Fabrication Technician | |
| Average salary | $39,462 | $35,582 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $51,000 | Between $26,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Clara, CA | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | North Dakota |
| Best paying company | HP | Westinghouse Appliances Australia |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a process technician and a fabrication technician in terms of educational background:
| Process Technician | Fabrication Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 36% | Associate Degree, 29% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Purdue University | - |
Here are the differences between process technicians' and fabrication technicians' demographics:
| Process Technician | Fabrication Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.2% Female, 26.8% | Male, 85.1% Female, 14.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 7.6% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 12.9% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 9.6% White, 55.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 5% |