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The differences between process technicians and senior engineering 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 senior engineering technician. Additionally, a senior engineering technician has an average salary of $88,615, 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 senior engineering technician are java, SR, and emerging technologies.
| Process Technician | Senior Engineering Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $39,462 | $88,615 |
| Hourly rate | $18.97 | $42.60 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 74,367 | 94,734 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| 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.
A Senior Engineering Technician uses the technical principles of engineering to create and develop a project or product. They also provide technical assistance to professional engineering staff on special projects.
Process technicians and senior engineering technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Process Technician | Senior Engineering Technician | |
| Average salary | $39,462 | $88,615 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $51,000 | Between $63,000 And $123,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Clara, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Idaho |
| Best paying company | HP | CrowdStrike |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between a process technician and a senior engineering technician in terms of educational background:
| Process Technician | Senior Engineering Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Business | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Purdue University | Purdue University |
Here are the differences between process technicians' and senior engineering technicians' demographics:
| Process Technician | Senior Engineering Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.2% Female, 26.8% | Male, 88.5% Female, 11.5% |
| 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, 8.9% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 11.3% White, 58.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |