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The differences between senior 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 test technician and an instrument technician. Additionally, an instrument technician has an average salary of $56,918, which is higher than the $56,825 average annual salary of a senior test technician.
The top three skills for a senior test technician include test equipment, test procedures and test results. The most important skills for an instrument technician are patients, surgical instruments, and cleanliness.
| Senior Test Technician | Instrument Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $56,825 | $56,918 |
| Hourly rate | $27.32 | $27.36 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 37,276 | 45,965 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 51% | Associate Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A senior test technician inspects product functions and monitors tests. They ensure their company's products meet quality standards. They may test software with the use of a Vector Network Analyzer. They are also responsible for the preventative maintenance of equipment and systems.
An instrument technician is an individual who is responsible for testing, repairing, and inspecting all manufacturing equipment to ensure proper operations of the machines. Instrument technicians collaborate with engineers to develop and produce equipment design and provide advice to process technicians about equipment operation. They remove defective equipment so that they can decontaminate and replace the damaged ones with new machines. They are also required by their employer to obtain certification in the field of instrumentation technology.
Senior test technicians and instrument technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Test Technician | Instrument Technician | |
| Average salary | $56,825 | $56,918 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $82,000 | Between $38,000 And $83,000 |
| Highest paying City | Germantown, MD | Palo Alto, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Apple | Phillips 66 |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a senior test technician and an instrument technician in terms of educational background:
| Senior Test Technician | Instrument Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 51% | Associate Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | Northeastern University |
Here are the differences between senior test technicians' and instrument technicians' demographics:
| Senior Test Technician | Instrument Technician | |
| Average age | 50 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.8% Female, 8.2% | Male, 83.4% Female, 16.6% |
| 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% |