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The differences between test technicians and repair technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a test technician, becoming a repair technician takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a test technician has an average salary of $43,171, which is higher than the $41,643 average annual salary of a repair technician.
The top three skills for a test technician include test procedures, test results and hand tools. The most important skills for a repair technician are customer service, hand tools, and customer satisfaction.
| Test Technician | Repair Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $43,171 | $41,643 |
| Hourly rate | $20.76 | $20.02 |
| Growth rate | - | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 71,414 | 162,051 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 45% | Associate Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 50 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
A test technician is responsible for running multiple diagnostic tests on various tools and equipment to boost optimization and ensure its efficient performance on operations. Test technicians inspect system components and manage calibration, following clients' specifications or the business' needs. A test technician also analyzes the system's design processes and features to understand its complexities and identify necessary upgrades. Test technicians keep a record of system issues and resolutions for reference. A test technician must have excellent knowledge of the technical and mechanical industry to perform tasks and achieve the highest customer satisfaction.
A repair technician's role focuses on assessing the problem or damage of a device and implementing solutions for it to function again. Although the extent of a technician's tasks will depend on the device or industry of employment, most of it revolves around troubleshooting, providing technical support, installing and writing programs, detaching and re-attaching wirings, welding, and even thoroughly discussing problems and solutions to clients. Furthermore, there are instances when a repair technician must work in a team setting that requires coordination and communication.
Test technicians and repair technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Test Technician | Repair Technician | |
| Average salary | $43,171 | $41,643 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $61,000 | Between $27,000 And $63,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Nokia | SoCalGas |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a test technician and a repair technician in terms of educational background:
| Test Technician | Repair Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 45% | Associate Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | - |
Here are the differences between test technicians' and repair technicians' demographics:
| Test Technician | Repair Technician | |
| Average age | 50 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 83.6% Female, 16.4% | Male, 88.3% Female, 11.7% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 4.6% White, 60.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 2% |