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The differences between senior instrument technicians and test 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 instrument technician and a test technician. Additionally, a senior instrument technician has an average salary of $80,934, which is higher than the $43,171 average annual salary of a test technician.
The top three skills for a senior instrument technician include control systems, HMI and HVAC. The most important skills for a test technician are test procedures, test results, and hand tools.
| Senior Instrument Technician | Test Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $80,934 | $43,171 |
| Hourly rate | $38.91 | $20.76 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 45,526 | 71,414 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 49% | Associate Degree, 45% |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
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 test technician is responsible for running multiple diagnostic tests on various tools and equipment to boost optimization and ensure its efficient performance on operations. Test technicians inspect system components and manage calibration, following clients' specifications or the business' needs. A test technician also analyzes the system's design processes and features to understand its complexities and identify necessary upgrades. Test technicians keep a record of system issues and resolutions for reference. A test technician must have excellent knowledge of the technical and mechanical industry to perform tasks and achieve the highest customer satisfaction.
Senior instrument technicians and test technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Instrument Technician | Test Technician | |
| Average salary | $80,934 | $43,171 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $117,000 | Between $30,000 And $61,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | - | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | - | Nokia |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a senior instrument technician and a test technician in terms of educational background:
| Senior Instrument Technician | Test Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 49% | Associate Degree, 45% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Northeastern University |
Here are the differences between senior instrument technicians' and test technicians' demographics:
| Senior Instrument Technician | Test Technician | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.7% Female, 7.3% | Male, 83.6% Female, 16.4% |
| 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, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 8.0% White, 70.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |