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The differences between robot technicians and controls technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a robot technician, becoming a controls technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a robot technician has an average salary of $55,027, which is higher than the $53,345 average annual salary of a controls technician.
The top three skills for a robot technician include preventative maintenance, continuous improvement and PLC. The most important skills for a controls technician are PLC, control systems, and preventative maintenance.
| Robot Technician | Controls Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $55,027 | $53,345 |
| Hourly rate | $26.46 | $25.65 |
| Growth rate | -4% | -4% |
| Number of jobs | 70,229 | 53,158 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 49% | Associate Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
A robot technician is an individual who operates, configures, and tests robotic equipment as well as perform the first installation of the robot for industrial companies. Robot technicians are required to assist manufacturing, mechanical, and electronics engineers in all phases of robotic design, development, production, testing, and operations. They must provide preventive maintenance to robots to ensure that they are working properly. Robot technicians are also required to perform mechanical troubleshooting and repair to robotic equipment with preventive and corrective maintenance.
A controls technician is in charge of operating various systems within a building or facility. Although the responsibilities will vary upon the line of work or employment, the duties still revolve around using software to control types of machinery and systems such as manufacturing devices and equipment, even lighting and ventilation. It is crucial to coordinate with department managers and supervisors to avoid any technical problems and ensure a safe work environment for everyone.
Robot technicians and controls technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Robot Technician | Controls Technician | |
| Average salary | $55,027 | $53,345 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $87,000 | Between $37,000 And $75,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Buffalo Grove, IL |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | BP America Inc | |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Energy |
There are a few differences between a robot technician and a controls technician in terms of educational background:
| Robot Technician | Controls Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 49% | Associate Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between robot technicians' and controls technicians' demographics:
| Robot Technician | Controls Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.2% Female, 8.8% | Male, 84.0% Female, 16.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.1% Asian, 7.6% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 7.5% White, 60.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |