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The differences between service mechanical technicians and field service technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a service mechanical technician, becoming a field service technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a field service technician has an average salary of $54,339, which is higher than the $47,820 average annual salary of a service mechanical technician.
The top three skills for a service mechanical technician include customer service, diagnosis and hydraulic systems. The most important skills for a field service technician are customer service, preventative maintenance, and customer satisfaction.
| Service Mechanical Technician | Field Service Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $47,820 | $54,339 |
| Hourly rate | $22.99 | $26.12 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 146,216 | 167,298 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 33% | Associate Degree, 40% |
| Average age | 45 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 12 |
A service mechanical technician specializes in installing and repairing mechanical equipment and systems. Although the extent of their responsibilities differs upon their industry of employment, it typically includes working together with engineers in developing and testing equipment, troubleshooting problems, performing adjustments and calibrations, maintaining records, and performing regular maintenance checks to ensure the equipment's quality and capacity. Moreover, a service mechanical technician may also provide technical support to clients and co-workers, all while adhering to the company's safety standards and regulations.
Field service technicians are skilled professionals who manage the technical needs of their clients outside the company's physical office space. They are usually on the field to visit their clients and check up on clients' equipment. Field service technicians are dispatched to provide technical support. They oversee installations, repairs, or maintenance activities. They ensure that all the work needed is done well. They also conduct diagnostic activities and troubleshooting. Field service technicians also supervise any updating or changes needed to be done in their clients' offices. They are expected to have good analytical skills, communication skills, and highly technical skills.
Service mechanical technicians and field service technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Service Mechanical Technician | Field Service Technician | |
| Average salary | $47,820 | $54,339 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $68,000 | Between $35,000 And $82,000 |
| Highest paying City | Oxnard, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | State Street | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a service mechanical technician and a field service technician in terms of educational background:
| Service Mechanical Technician | Field Service Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 33% | Associate Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | SUNY College of Technology at Alfred | - |
Here are the differences between service mechanical technicians' and field service technicians' demographics:
| Service Mechanical Technician | Field Service Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 97.9% Female, 2.1% | Male, 92.3% Female, 7.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 7.4% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 1.7% White, 72.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 1% |