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The differences between production test technicians and technical testing engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a production test technician, becoming a technical testing engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a technical testing engineer has an average salary of $88,367, 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 technical testing engineer are test results, schematics, and test procedures.
| Production Test Technician | Technical Testing Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $41,059 | $88,367 |
| Hourly rate | $19.74 | $42.48 |
| Growth rate | - | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 91,524 | 100,815 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 57% | Associate Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 50 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
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 technical testing engineer is responsible for inspecting and reporting the quality of products across the production cycle. You will thoroughly check procedures, materials, and electrical and mechanical systems to produce high-quality products for customers. Your main job is to test various components and features of the product to identify and resolve technical issues. Other duties include organizing and conducting training for junior team members, creating test environments, and identifying the root cause of technical issues.
Production test technicians and technical testing engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Production Test Technician | Technical Testing Engineer | |
| Average salary | $41,059 | $88,367 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $53,000 | Between $62,000 And $125,000 |
| Highest paying City | Beverly, MA | Issaquah, WA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Washington |
| Best paying company | Sanmina | Western Digital |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a production test technician and a technical testing engineer in terms of educational background:
| Production Test Technician | Technical Testing Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 57% | Associate Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Northeastern University |
Here are the differences between production test technicians' and technical testing engineers' demographics:
| Production Test Technician | Technical Testing Engineer | |
| Average age | 50 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.5% Female, 8.5% | Male, 89.7% Female, 10.3% |
| 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, 4.9% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 11.8% White, 67.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 4% |