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The differences between repair technicians and repair specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a repair technician and a repair specialist. Additionally, a repair technician has an average salary of $41,643, which is higher than the $40,844 average annual salary of a repair specialist.
The top three skills for a repair technician include customer service, hand tools and customer satisfaction. The most important skills for a repair specialist are customer service, cleanliness, and dexterity.
| Repair Technician | Repair Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $41,643 | $40,844 |
| Hourly rate | $20.02 | $19.64 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 162,051 | 58,898 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 31% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A repair technician's role focuses on assessing the problem or damage of a device and implementing solutions for it to function again. Although the extent of a technician's tasks will depend on the device or industry of employment, most of it revolves around troubleshooting, providing technical support, installing and writing programs, detaching and re-attaching wirings, welding, and even thoroughly discussing problems and solutions to clients. Furthermore, there are instances when a repair technician must work in a team setting that requires coordination and communication.
The duties of a repair specialist depend on their line of work or place of employment. In industries such as automotive and manufacturing, a repair specialist is typically a member of a maintenance team who repairs and maintains machinery and equipment. Among their responsibilities include performing inspections and examinations, troubleshooting problems, fixing and replacing components, modifying and upgrading parts, and conducting regular maintenance checks to ensure quality and efficiency. Moreover, a repair specialist typically works in a team setting, which requires an active communication line for a smooth and efficient workflow.
Repair technicians and repair specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Repair Technician | Repair Specialist | |
| Average salary | $41,643 | $40,844 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $63,000 | Between $23,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Maryland |
| Best paying company | SoCalGas | Stryker |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a repair technician and a repair specialist in terms of educational background:
| Repair Technician | Repair Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 31% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between repair technicians' and repair specialists' demographics:
| Repair Technician | Repair Specialist | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.3% Female, 11.7% | Male, 82.0% Female, 18.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 4.6% White, 60.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 4.6% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |