Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between satellite technicians and service technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a satellite technician, becoming a service technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a service technician has an average salary of $40,379, which is higher than the $36,473 average annual salary of a satellite technician.
The top three skills for a satellite technician include work ethic, broadband and strong customer service. The most important skills for a service technician are plumbing, customer service, and preventative maintenance.
| Satellite Technician | Service Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $36,473 | $40,379 |
| Hourly rate | $17.54 | $19.41 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 91,117 | 254,533 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 34% | Associate Degree, 29% |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
Satellite technicians are responsible for giving installation and repair solutions for satellite dishes, which generally deliver TV or internet signals. Primary tasks include installing, upgrading, and maintaining residential satellite products and optimizing the service they give. The technicians' duties may also include placing the dish, routing the cable where it needs to go, and making sure that the service is online and attached to the customer's devices. Additionally, they may engage in remote troubleshooting when a customer calls with a problem. These technicians can work as an independent contractor or directly for a company.
Service technicians are assigned in the field to address the concerns of their clients. Service technicians are responsible for the installation, maintenance, or repair of different units or items related to their company's products or services. They should be familiar with their company's products so that they can properly install, maintain, or repair them. They conduct diagnostics and analysis to assess the condition of the unit they are servicing and properly address problems. They also do routine maintenance check-ups. Service technicians are expected to be trustworthy, have good analytical skills, and have good decision-making skills.
Satellite technicians and service technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Satellite Technician | Service Technician | |
| Average salary | $36,473 | $40,379 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $44,000 | Between $28,000 And $57,000 |
| Highest paying City | Concord, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | GLOBALTECH HOLDINGS | IBM |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Technology |
There are a few differences between a satellite technician and a service technician in terms of educational background:
| Satellite Technician | Service Technician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 34% | Associate Degree, 29% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | New York University | - |
Here are the differences between satellite technicians' and service technicians' demographics:
| Satellite Technician | Service Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.7% Female, 4.3% | Male, 89.2% Female, 10.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 5.8% Hispanic or Latino, 22.4% Asian, 5.0% White, 55.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 5.1% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.8% Asian, 1.7% White, 72.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 1% |