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Senior electrician vs electrical technician

The differences between senior electricians and electrical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a senior electrician has an average salary of $55,615, which is higher than the $55,215 average annual salary of an electrical technician.

The top three skills for a senior electrician include electrical equipment, hand tools and ladders. The most important skills for an electrical technician are hand tools, PLC, and electrical equipment.

Senior electrician vs electrical technician overview

Senior ElectricianElectrical Technician
Yearly salary$55,615$55,215
Hourly rate$26.74$26.55
Growth rate7%-
Number of jobs17,633127,792
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 37%Associate Degree, 41%
Average age4250
Years of experience12-

What does a senior electrician do?

A senior electrician needs to be aware of the various electric problems that occur within their company's system. Using a variety of testing devices, they identify potential electrical problems. They replace wiring equipment or fixtures and work with voltages ranging from 12V DC to 12470V AC. They must have the ability to read electrical diagrams and blueprints of any electrical system.

What does an electrical technician do?

An electrical technician is responsible for managing the electrical systems of an establishment, ensuring the safety of the network and cables to support daily operations. Electrical technicians analyze schematics and specifications to construct electrical systems, run diagnostic tests, and perform repairs for any defects and inconsistencies. They assemble electrical equipment, replace malfunctioning components, upgrading systems, and advising management of high-quality electrical supplies. An electrical technician must have excellent knowledge of the electrical and mechanical industry, especially with supervising electricians on their duties, as well as responding to the clients' inquiries and concerns.

Senior electrician vs electrical technician salary

Senior electricians and electrical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Senior ElectricianElectrical Technician
Average salary$55,615$55,215
Salary rangeBetween $37,000 And $81,000Between $37,000 And $80,000
Highest paying CityStockton, CAPalo Alto, CA
Highest paying stateVermontVirginia
Best paying companyJELD-WENTexas Instruments
Best paying industryEnergyEnergy

Differences between senior electrician and electrical technician education

There are a few differences between a senior electrician and an electrical technician in terms of educational background:

Senior ElectricianElectrical Technician
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 37%Associate Degree, 41%
Most common majorElectrical Engineering TechnologyElectrical Engineering
Most common college--

Senior electrician vs electrical technician demographics

Here are the differences between senior electricians' and electrical technicians' demographics:

Senior ElectricianElectrical Technician
Average age4250
Gender ratioMale, 96.0% Female, 4.0%Male, 93.3% Female, 6.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 2.3% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%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%
LGBT Percentage3%8%

Differences between senior electrician and electrical technician duties and responsibilities

Senior electrician example responsibilities.

  • Terminate primary and secondary leads of transformers.
  • Install many PLC changes for safety and quality improvements.
  • Service PLC operate electroplating lines, CNC mills and lathes, injection molding and vacuum presses.
  • Supervise small construction teams in the installation of electrical hardware and associate components according to NEC guidelines for residential new construction.
  • Replace motors and gearboxes upon management request.

Electrical technician example responsibilities.

  • Test printed circuit boards to comply with military, ISO, and customer specifications.
  • Inspect, test and troubleshoot a variety of PLC and microprocessor control high voltage transformer systems.
  • Work in accordance with OSHA safety regulation, NEC, ANSI, ISO9001 compliance and with company safety policies.
  • Work with proximity sensors, ac & dc motors, VFDs, and controls on a daily basis here.
  • Install EMT risers in new buildings for communications.
  • Work on equipment using CNET, DNET, and Ethernet.
  • Show more

Senior electrician vs electrical technician skills

Common senior electrician skills
  • Electrical Equipment, 9%
  • Hand Tools, 9%
  • Ladders, 6%
  • Circuit Breakers, 5%
  • Preventative Maintenance, 5%
  • Switches, 5%
Common electrical technician skills
  • Hand Tools, 7%
  • PLC, 7%
  • Electrical Equipment, 7%
  • Electrical Systems, 6%
  • Electrical Schematics, 4%
  • Control Systems, 4%

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