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The differences between reliability technicians and manufacturing technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a reliability technician, becoming a manufacturing technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a reliability technician has an average salary of $50,168, which is higher than the $37,853 average annual salary of a manufacturing technician.
The top three skills for a reliability technician include troubleshoot, preventative maintenance and hand tools. The most important skills for a manufacturing technician are GMP, continuous improvement, and hand tools.
| Reliability Technician | Manufacturing Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $50,168 | $37,853 |
| Hourly rate | $24.12 | $18.20 |
| Growth rate | - | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 38,743 | 76,490 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 39% |
| Average age | 50 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
Reliability technicians are responsible for helping enhance quality, improve safety, and implement the constant development of projects to maximize output. They collaborate with engineers and lead maintenance technicians to do continuing the system development. Their duties include giving technical assistance and input in engineering project management services. Also, they systematize and direct work assigned to make certain immediate feedback to repairs, fast identification of faults, and prompt action to repairs. Additionally, they plan, establish, and coordinate work by contractors and other associates.
A manufacturing technician, or often called a manufacturing production technician, is an individual who is responsible for setting and testing manufacturing machinery or equipment. To set up the machines, manufacturing technicians will use electronic, electrical, mechanical, or computer technologies. They are responsible for gathering data from their part in the manufacturing process and reporting it to their production or manufacturing engineers. When handling machines or equipment, manufacturing technicians must strictly follow their health and safety procedures and protocols.
Reliability technicians and manufacturing technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Reliability Technician | Manufacturing Technician | |
| Average salary | $50,168 | $37,853 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $67,000 | Between $27,000 And $52,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Framingham, MA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Apple | Qorvo |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Finance |
There are a few differences between a reliability technician and a manufacturing technician in terms of educational background:
| Reliability Technician | Manufacturing Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 39% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between reliability technicians' and manufacturing technicians' demographics:
| Reliability Technician | Manufacturing Technician | |
| Average age | 50 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.1% Female, 11.9% | Male, 74.4% Female, 25.6% |
| 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, 9.5% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 8.9% White, 59.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 6% |