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Special effects technician vs light technician

The differences between special effects technicians and light technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a special effects technician and a light technician. Additionally, a special effects technician has an average salary of $43,345, which is higher than the $40,111 average annual salary of a light technician.

The top three skills for a special effects technician include troubleshoot, tech support and . The most important skills for a light technician are ladders, hand tools, and light fixtures.

Special effects technician vs light technician overview

Special Effects TechnicianLight Technician
Yearly salary$43,345$40,111
Hourly rate$20.84$19.28
Growth rate10%10%
Number of jobs17,94031,530
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 49%Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Average age4242
Years of experience22

Special effects technician vs light technician salary

Special effects technicians and light technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Special Effects TechnicianLight Technician
Average salary$43,345$40,111
Salary rangeBetween $23,000 And $80,000Between $28,000 And $56,000
Highest paying City-San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state-California
Best paying company-BlackRock
Best paying industry-Hospitality

Differences between special effects technician and light technician education

There are a few differences between a special effects technician and a light technician in terms of educational background:

Special Effects TechnicianLight Technician
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 49%Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Most common majorBusinessPhotography
Most common collegeCalifornia Polytechnic State University-San Luis ObispoNew Mexico State University

Special effects technician vs light technician demographics

Here are the differences between special effects technicians' and light technicians' demographics:

Special Effects TechnicianLight Technician
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 74.1% Female, 25.9%Male, 86.6% Female, 13.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 6.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 5.1% White, 62.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 5.1% White, 62.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between special effects technician and light technician duties and responsibilities

Special effects technician example responsibilities.

  • Lead false-positive team to identify and resolve network service issues and produce a manual for outsource providers to troubleshoot technical issues.
  • Create and publish on SharePoint documentation of troubleshooting, resolution, installation and maintenance of hardware and software problems.
  • Prepare and set off battlefield explosion, smoke and IED effects during small unit engagements.
  • Distribute video through cable as well as videoconferencing networks via a multipoint conferencing unit.

Light technician example responsibilities.

  • Maintain and manage multiple stages: FOH mix, monitor mix, and video presentation editing mix.
  • Provide support for the engineering, furnishing, and installation of classify and unclassify video teleconferencing systems and video distribution systems.
  • Communicate with other departments and coordinators to maintain order.

Special effects technician vs light technician skills

Common special effects technician skills
  • Troubleshoot, 60%
  • Tech Support, 40%
Common light technician skills
  • Ladders, 14%
  • Hand Tools, 9%
  • Light Fixtures, 9%
  • OSHA, 9%
  • A/V, 6%
  • Video Equipment, 5%

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