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The differences between senior maintenance technicians and maintenance engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a senior maintenance technician and a maintenance engineer. Additionally, a senior maintenance technician has an average salary of $51,970, which is higher than the $47,133 average annual salary of a maintenance engineer.
The top three skills for a senior maintenance technician include HVAC, plumbing and customer service. The most important skills for a maintenance engineer are plumbing, HVAC, and guest rooms.
| Senior Maintenance Technician | Maintenance Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $51,970 | $47,133 |
| Hourly rate | $24.99 | $22.66 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 137,443 | 97,957 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 42% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A senior maintenance technician is responsible for the maintenance and repairs of an establishment or household's electrical and mechanical systems. Senior maintenance technicians handle the installation of ventilation systems, as well as the inspection of equipment and machinery, to ensure optimal performance and efficiency for business operations. They also monitor the adequacy of inventories needed to set up systems and other functionalities. A senior maintenance technician must have excellent organizational and mechanical skills and the ability to follow safety procedures and processes during operations.
A maintenance engineer is responsible for the maintenance of industrial machinery and inspects equipment defects for immediate troubleshooting or replacement as needed. Maintenance engineers install and upgrade system components to improve system optimization and perform diagnostic systems to locate any adjustments. They also conduct routine checks, assist clients with technical faults, and ensure that the equipment works safely for certain operations. A maintenance engineer must have excellent knowledge of the mechanical industry to address technical malfunctions immediately.
Senior maintenance technicians and maintenance engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Maintenance Technician | Maintenance Engineer | |
| Average salary | $51,970 | $47,133 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $71,000 | Between $29,000 And $74,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sacramento, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Essex Property Trust | Halliburton |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between a senior maintenance technician and a maintenance engineer in terms of educational background:
| Senior Maintenance Technician | Maintenance Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 42% | Bachelor's Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between senior maintenance technicians' and maintenance engineers' demographics:
| Senior Maintenance Technician | Maintenance Engineer | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.8% Female, 3.2% | Male, 94.6% Female, 5.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 4.5% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 4.4% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |