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The differences between surveyor instrument assistants and instrument 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 surveyor instrument assistant, becoming an instrument technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, an instrument technician has an average salary of $56,918, which is higher than the $43,952 average annual salary of a surveyor instrument assistant.
The top three skills for a surveyor instrument assistant include GPS, survey data and construction sites. The most important skills for an instrument technician are patients, surgical instruments, and cleanliness.
| Surveyor Instrument Assistant | Instrument Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $43,952 | $56,918 |
| Hourly rate | $21.13 | $27.36 |
| Growth rate | 1% | - |
| Number of jobs | 5,724 | 45,965 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Associate Degree, 48% |
| Average age | 44 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 12 |
Surveyor instrument assistants and instrument technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Surveyor Instrument Assistant | Instrument Technician | |
| Average salary | $43,952 | $56,918 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $64,000 | Between $38,000 And $83,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Palo Alto, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | - | Phillips 66 |
| Best paying industry | - | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a surveyor instrument assistant and an instrument technician in terms of educational background:
| Surveyor Instrument Assistant | Instrument Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Associate Degree, 48% |
| Most common major | Civil Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Northeastern University |
Here are the differences between surveyor instrument assistants' and instrument technicians' demographics:
| Surveyor Instrument Assistant | Instrument Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.8% Female, 16.2% | Male, 83.4% Female, 16.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 5.0% White, 75.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | 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 | 7% | 8% |