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The differences between smt operators and certified medical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a certified medical technician has an average salary of $38,859, which is higher than the $33,647 average annual salary of an smt operator.
The top three skills for an smt operator include hand tools, PCB and reflow oven. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.
| SMT Operator | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $33,647 | $38,859 |
| Hourly rate | $16.18 | $18.68 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 54,826 | 164,424 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 32% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | 12 |
Surface mount technology (SMT) operators monitor and maintain any equipment used in establishing SMT electronic circuits. The task of SMT operators involves SMT machine operation to mount electronic components onto the circuit boards. They mount assembled components like resistors, capacitors, transistors, and integrated circuits on the chassis panel. Also, they collaborate with technicians and engineers on PCB's for critical defect data. They are expected to have skills and knowledge about circuit boards, reflow ovens, and electronic components.
Certified Medical Technicians are specialists in medical diagnoses by performing laboratory testing and analysis for hospitals and physicians. Their duties include lab sanitization to prepare for testing and collection, recording medical samples for testing, specimen preparation, blood drawing for donation and testing, and assisting physicians with sample collection as well as equipment handling in surgical rooms. They must also understand how to use complex and sensitive testing equipment such as cell counters, analyzers, microscopes, and centrifuges.
Smt operators and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| SMT Operator | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average salary | $33,647 | $38,859 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $44,000 | Between $28,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | Monterey, CA | Denton, TX |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Sanmina | Favorite Healthcare Staffing |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Health Care |
There are a few differences between an smt operator and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:
| SMT Operator | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 32% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Nursing |
| Most common college | - | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between smt operators' and certified medical technicians' demographics:
| SMT Operator | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 71.0% Female, 29.0% | Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 7.7% White, 54.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 15.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 10.0% White, 53.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 8% |