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The differences between process 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 process technician and a maintenance technician. Additionally, a maintenance technician has an average salary of $43,293, which is higher than the $39,462 average annual salary of a process technician.
The top three skills for a process technician include basic math, patients and OSHA. The most important skills for a maintenance technician are plumbing, HVAC, and hand tools.
| Process Technician | Maintenance Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $39,462 | $43,293 |
| Hourly rate | $18.97 | $20.81 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 74,367 | 178,450 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | 4.25 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 36% | High School Diploma, 34% |
| Average age | 45 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 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.
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.
Process technicians and maintenance technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Process Technician | Maintenance Technician | |
| Average salary | $39,462 | $43,293 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $51,000 | Between $31,000 And $59,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Clara, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | HP | Anheuser-Busch |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a process technician and a maintenance technician in terms of educational background:
| Process Technician | Maintenance Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 36% | High School Diploma, 34% |
| Most common major | Business | Electrical Engineering Technology |
| Most common college | Purdue University | - |
Here are the differences between process technicians' and maintenance technicians' demographics:
| Process Technician | Maintenance Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.2% Female, 26.8% | Male, 95.7% Female, 4.3% |
| 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, 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 | 6% | 2% |