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The differences between senior instrument technicians and senior engineering technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a senior instrument technician, becoming a senior engineering technician takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a senior engineering technician has an average salary of $88,615, which is higher than the $80,934 average annual salary of a senior instrument technician.
The top three skills for a senior instrument technician include control systems, HMI and HVAC. The most important skills for a senior engineering technician are java, SR, and emerging technologies.
| Senior Instrument Technician | Senior Engineering Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $80,934 | $88,615 |
| Hourly rate | $38.91 | $42.60 |
| Growth rate | - | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 45,526 | 94,734 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 50 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
As a senior instrument technician, you need to do general maintenance work on the equipment generation and design process of the company. You need to have excellent mapping and recording skills so that you can measure and record the equipment reading. As a senior instrument technician, you need to do your work precisely. This is because you are in the field of measurement and control.
You will also have to inspect repairing tests as well as record changes in the industrial environment of the company. You need to have great analytical skills so that you can solve complex instrumental problems and help in the overall development of the company system. A minimum of an associate's degree is required for this job.
A Senior Engineering Technician uses the technical principles of engineering to create and develop a project or product. They also provide technical assistance to professional engineering staff on special projects.
Senior instrument technicians and senior engineering technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Instrument Technician | Senior Engineering Technician | |
| Average salary | $80,934 | $88,615 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $117,000 | Between $63,000 And $123,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Idaho |
| Best paying company | - | CrowdStrike |
| Best paying industry | - | Energy |
There are a few differences between a senior instrument technician and a senior engineering technician in terms of educational background:
| Senior Instrument Technician | Senior Engineering Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 49% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Purdue University |
Here are the differences between senior instrument technicians' and senior engineering technicians' demographics:
| Senior Instrument Technician | Senior Engineering Technician | |
| Average age | 50 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.7% Female, 7.3% | Male, 88.5% Female, 11.5% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 11.3% White, 58.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 6% |