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The differences between technicians and electricians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a technician, becoming an electrician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, an electrician has an average salary of $48,850, which is higher than the $38,045 average annual salary of a technician.
The top three skills for a technician include patients, customer service and patient care. The most important skills for an electrician are hand tools, electrical equipment, and run conduit.
| Technician | Electrician | |
| Yearly salary | $38,045 | $48,850 |
| Hourly rate | $18.29 | $23.49 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 596,842 | 17,245 |
| Job satisfaction | 2 | 3.86 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 32% | High School Diploma, 32% |
| Average age | 40 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
Technicians are skilled professionals who primarily work with technology in different industries. They are knowledgeable about the technical aspects of the various items they work with. They are usually working with electricity or with technological advancements. Technicians may be assigned to do the construction of equipment or materials related to their field of study. They may also be assigned to conduct diagnostics and other maintenance activities to ensure that the equipment works properly. Technicians may also be required to conduct basic repairs in case of problems. It is important that technicians have good analytical skills and decision-making skills.
An electrician is a skilled tradesman in charge of wirings and systems which provide electric power to a facility. They are trained to design, install, maintain, and troubleshoot electrical wiring systems. There are four basic types of an electrician - residential wiremen, inside wiremen, telecommunications electrician, and outside linemen. Some work on a standard 40-hour week shift while others are on-call duty. In some cases, traveling is also a vital key to their role where they would work for a few days before moving to another location.
Technicians and electricians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Technician | Electrician | |
| Average salary | $38,045 | $48,850 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $58,000 | Between $32,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | PBF Energy |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a technician and an electrician in terms of educational background:
| Technician | Electrician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 32% | High School Diploma, 32% |
| Most common major | Business | Electrical Engineering Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between technicians' and electricians' demographics:
| Technician | Electrician | |
| Average age | 40 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.2% Female, 24.8% | Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 4.9% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 2.2% White, 63.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 3% |