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The differences between product development technicians and engineering assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a product development technician, becoming an engineering assistant takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a product development technician has an average salary of $82,950, which is higher than the $64,402 average annual salary of an engineering assistant.
The top three skills for a product development technician include R, product development and lab equipment. The most important skills for an engineering assistant are troubleshoot, C++, and worksheets.
| Product Development Technician | Engineering Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $82,950 | $64,402 |
| Hourly rate | $39.88 | $30.96 |
| Growth rate | - | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 131,939 | 53,767 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Average age | 50 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
Product development technicians are responsible for expanding and providing improvement to new products and implementing appropriate tests. They help grow a team framework for the organization. Their duties include arranging oral and written reports for each product development projects and examine their performance. Also, they preserve a clean and neat laboratory area and make sure of the viability of all equipment. Additionally, they create drafts for each product and work instructions documents, as well as install and examine all test equipment for modification.
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.
Product development technicians and engineering assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Product Development Technician | Engineering Assistant | |
| Average salary | $82,950 | $64,402 |
| Salary range | Between $61,000 And $111,000 | Between $41,000 And $99,000 |
| Highest paying City | Austin, TX | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Texas | California |
| Best paying company | Western Digital | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Energy |
There are a few differences between a product development technician and an engineering assistant in terms of educational background:
| Product Development Technician | Engineering Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 56% |
| Most common major | Biology | Business |
| Most common college | Purdue University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between product development technicians' and engineering assistants' demographics:
| Product Development Technician | Engineering Assistant | |
| Average age | 50 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 67.5% Female, 32.5% | Male, 68.8% Female, 31.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 8.0% White, 70.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | 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 | 8% | 6% |