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The differences between senior maintenance technicians and preventive maintenance technicians 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 preventive maintenance technician. Additionally, a senior maintenance technician has an average salary of $51,970, which is higher than the $40,935 average annual salary of a preventive maintenance technician.
The top three skills for a senior maintenance technician include HVAC, plumbing and customer service. The most important skills for a preventive maintenance technician are customer service, hand tools, and HVAC.
| Senior Maintenance Technician | Preventive Maintenance Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $51,970 | $40,935 |
| Hourly rate | $24.99 | $19.68 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 137,443 | 170,517 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 42% | Associate Degree, 31% |
| 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 preventive maintenance technician performs routine facility maintenance to prevent possible mechanical failure. The technicians change worn out machine parts before they can cause mechanical damage. They keep the facility operating. It is their job to conduct quality assessments, maintain inventory, and schedule repairs. Also, they see to it that machines are up and running at all times. They are expected to be equipped with skills in customer service, problem-solving, reading comprehension, business operation, and mechanical aptitude.
Senior maintenance technicians and preventive maintenance technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Maintenance Technician | Preventive Maintenance Technician | |
| Average salary | $51,970 | $40,935 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $71,000 | Between $31,000 And $52,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sacramento, CA | Owatonna, MN |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Essex Property Trust | Kiewit |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a senior maintenance technician and a preventive maintenance technician in terms of educational background:
| Senior Maintenance Technician | Preventive Maintenance Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 42% | Associate Degree, 31% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between senior maintenance technicians' and preventive maintenance technicians' demographics:
| Senior Maintenance Technician | Preventive Maintenance Technician | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.8% Female, 3.2% | Male, 91.8% Female, 8.2% |
| 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, 11.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 4.6% White, 59.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |