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Senior electronic test technician vs instrument technician

The differences between senior electronic test technicians and instrument technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a senior electronic test technician and an instrument technician. Additionally, an instrument technician has an average salary of $56,918, which is higher than the $52,698 average annual salary of a senior electronic test technician.

The top three skills for a senior electronic test technician include test procedures, level troubleshooting and power meters. The most important skills for an instrument technician are patients, surgical instruments, and cleanliness.

Senior electronic test technician vs instrument technician overview

Senior Electronic Test TechnicianInstrument Technician
Yearly salary$52,698$56,918
Hourly rate$25.34$27.36
Growth rate--
Number of jobs31,71845,965
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 45%Associate Degree, 48%
Average age5050
Years of experience1212

Senior electronic test technician vs instrument technician salary

Senior electronic test technicians and instrument technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Senior Electronic Test TechnicianInstrument Technician
Average salary$52,698$56,918
Salary rangeBetween $38,000 And $72,000Between $38,000 And $83,000
Highest paying City-Palo Alto, CA
Highest paying state-Hawaii
Best paying company-Phillips 66
Best paying industry-Manufacturing

Differences between senior electronic test technician and instrument technician education

There are a few differences between a senior electronic test technician and an instrument technician in terms of educational background:

Senior Electronic Test TechnicianInstrument Technician
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 45%Associate Degree, 48%
Most common majorElectrical EngineeringElectrical Engineering
Most common collegeNortheastern UniversityNortheastern University

Senior electronic test technician vs instrument technician demographics

Here are the differences between senior electronic test technicians' and instrument technicians' demographics:

Senior Electronic Test TechnicianInstrument Technician
Average age5050
Gender ratioMale, 96.4% Female, 3.6%Male, 83.4% Female, 16.6%
Race ratioBlack 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, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 8.0% White, 70.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between senior electronic test technician and instrument technician duties and responsibilities

Senior electronic test technician example responsibilities.

  • Install and manage windows applications for the user, maintain servers and manage help desk operations.
  • Bench test and repair RF boards and test equipment to the component level.
  • Participate in the breakdown and setup of a state-of-the-art RF test and measurement production facility.
  • Install instrumentation transducers such as accelerometers, thermocouples and PressureSensors as well as any associate hardware such as accelerometer blocks.
  • Programme & setup all PLC programming, data acquisition systems, & PMEL calibration equipment.
  • Conduct monthly and weekly maintenance on SATCOM equipment.
  • Show more

Instrument technician example responsibilities.

  • Lead the planning and coordination of QC instrumentation and software qualification to be compliant with best practices.
  • Lead a team of 10 engineers to develop an infrare telescope that are launched on the NASA high-altitude balloonproject BRRISON/BOPPS.
  • Accomplish team sales of 464K in clinical chemistry and hematology instrumentation.
  • Adhere to safe work practices including lock out/tag out, OSHA regulations, NFPA, and NEC code regulations.
  • Clean and sterilize various surgical instruments for multiple surgery cases.
  • Skil in the installation, maintenance, electrical devices from 24 volt DC to 4160 VAC.
  • Show more

Senior electronic test technician vs instrument technician skills

Common senior electronic test technician skills
  • Test Procedures, 12%
  • Level Troubleshooting, 9%
  • Power Meters, 8%
  • Analog, 7%
  • RF, 6%
  • Troubleshoot, 6%
Common instrument technician skills
  • Patients, 15%
  • Surgical Instruments, 8%
  • Cleanliness, 6%
  • Hand Tools, 5%
  • Control Systems, 5%
  • PLC, 4%

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