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The differences between production test technicians and bench technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a production test technician and a bench technician. Additionally, a bench technician has an average salary of $41,317, which is higher than the $41,059 average annual salary of a production test technician.
The top three skills for a production test technician include production test, hand tools and RF. The most important skills for a bench technician are troubleshoot, PC, and windows.
| Production Test Technician | Bench Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $41,059 | $41,317 |
| Hourly rate | $19.74 | $19.86 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 91,524 | 79,375 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 57% | Associate Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
Production Test Technicians are responsible for the testing and assembly of manufactured goods before releasing them internally or to the general public. They are involved in running tests in equipment and assemblies, performing instrument calibrations, examining finish products conform with specifications, using statistical methods to identify problems, and providing reports on defects. They work with investors, product developers, and other stakeholders in fixing defects and improving the quality of a product. In testing, they will perform inspections for achieving multipoint safety and efficiency.
A Bench Technician specializes in installing, maintaining, and repairing electronic equipment and machinery. Although the extent of their responsibilities primarily depends on their place or employment industry, it typically includes conducting inspections and assessments, programming and troubleshooting systems, replacing and fixing components, and producing progress reports as needed. Moreover, a Bench Technician must maintain an active communication line with co-workers while adhering to its safety standards and regulations for a safe and efficient work environment.
Production test technicians and bench technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Production Test Technician | Bench Technician | |
| Average salary | $41,059 | $41,317 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $53,000 | Between $29,000 And $57,000 |
| Highest paying City | Beverly, MA | - |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | - |
| Best paying company | Sanmina | - |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | - |
There are a few differences between a production test technician and a bench technician in terms of educational background:
| Production Test Technician | Bench Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 57% | Associate Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Northeastern University |
Here are the differences between production test technicians' and bench technicians' demographics:
| Production Test Technician | Bench Technician | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.5% Female, 8.5% | Male, 89.4% Female, 10.6% |
| 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, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 8.0% White, 70.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |