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The differences between production assemblers and assembly technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an assembly technician has an average salary of $34,952, which is higher than the $31,611 average annual salary of a production assembler.
The top three skills for a production assembler include hand tools, part numbers and assembly line. The most important skills for an assembly technician are customer service, hand tools, and lean manufacturing.
| Production Assembler | Assembly Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $31,611 | $34,952 |
| Hourly rate | $15.20 | $16.80 |
| Growth rate | - | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 73,933 | 52,385 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 47% | High School Diploma, 34% |
| Average age | 44 | 49 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
An assembler is responsible for the arrangement of multiple parts to create an entirely new component, following the client's specifications or blueprint instructions. Assemblers must be able to interpret schematics well, as well as being able to operate mechanical equipment and hand tools to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the job. They should also monitor inventories and check the adequacy of supplies, verify the correct quantity of components, and inform the management of any needed assistance. An assembler must have a broad knowledge of the mechanical industry to perform tasks under certain conditions.
Assembly technicians are responsible for constructing small parts and components to create a new product according to the specifications of a client or a supervisor. An assembly technician performs diagnostic tests on the assembled product to ensure efficiency and conduct adjustments as needed. An assembly technician also provides manual instructional guides for product use and troubleshooting procedures. Assembly technicians must be knowledgeable about the technology and mechanical industry, as well as have the ability to analyze designs as a guide for creating high-quality products.
Production assemblers and assembly technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Production Assembler | Assembly Technician | |
| Average salary | $31,611 | $34,952 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $38,000 | Between $28,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | Hillsboro, OR | Sunnyvale, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Washington |
| Best paying company | FLIR Systems | Jefferson Lab |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Finance |
There are a few differences between a production assembler and an assembly technician in terms of educational background:
| Production Assembler | Assembly Technician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 47% | High School Diploma, 34% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between production assemblers' and assembly technicians' demographics:
| Production Assembler | Assembly Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 49 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 53.3% Female, 46.7% | Male, 75.7% Female, 24.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.8% Asian, 9.1% White, 58.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 2.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 9.8% White, 60.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 6% |