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The differences between substation electricians and wiring 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 substation electrician and a wiring technician. Additionally, a substation electrician has an average salary of $67,906, which is higher than the $38,136 average annual salary of a wiring technician.
The top three skills for a substation electrician include CDL, transformers and circuit breakers. The most important skills for a wiring technician are hand tools, safety procedures, and control panels.
A Substation Electrician installs control panels and wiring systems, performs emergency repairs and regular maintenance on electrical substations delivering energy to the surrounding buildings and houses. The professionals work hand-in-hand with engineers and architects to create the substation's plan and layout. After completing the blueprints, the Substation Electricians can construct and install electrical equipment and wiring cabinets. Other duties performed may include testing, calibrating, and maintaining relays. They also operate various devices and troubleshoot transformers' issues and provide the right solutions.
Wiring technicians install and conduct maintenance on wiring in electronic products. They are responsible for ensuring that machines are in working condition, and they continuously review products to ensure only good products are released to customers. They must have the ability to understand wiring schematics.
Substation electricians and wiring technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Substation Electrician | Wiring Technician | |
| Average salary | $67,906 | $38,136 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $98,000 | Between $28,000 And $50,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Everett, WA |
| Highest paying state | - | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | - | Schneider Electric Industrial Services |
| Best paying industry | - | Finance |
There are a few differences between a substation electrician and a wiring technician in terms of educational background:
| Substation Electrician | Wiring Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 38% | Associate Degree, 30% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering Technology | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between substation electricians' and wiring technicians' demographics:
| Substation Electrician | Wiring Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 92.5% Female, 7.5% | Male, 86.9% Female, 13.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 2.3% White, 64.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.3% Asian, 2.2% White, 66.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 3% | 3% |