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The differences between traffic signal technicians and certified medical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a traffic signal technician, becoming a certified medical technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a traffic signal technician has an average salary of $45,817, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.
The top three skills for a traffic signal technician include CDL, IMSA and traffic control devices. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.
| Traffic Signal Technician | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $45,817 | $38,859 |
| Hourly rate | $22.03 | $18.68 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 8,006 | 164,424 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
Traffic Signal Technicians are responsible for the repair, maintenance, and installation of traffic signals as well as highway lighting systems. Their duties include maintaining and assembling traffic signals and highway lightings, administering concrete for control equipment and pole installation, utilizing traffic signal software, and carrying out annual inspections. They are responsible for conducting diagnostic testing for repairs, locating utilities, and installing traffic control for work zones. Traffic Signal Technicians also manage maintenance records, operate equipment that is motorized, and reports project progress to the supervisor.
Certified Medical Technicians are specialists in medical diagnoses by performing laboratory testing and analysis for hospitals and physicians. Their duties include lab sanitization to prepare for testing and collection, recording medical samples for testing, specimen preparation, blood drawing for donation and testing, and assisting physicians with sample collection as well as equipment handling in surgical rooms. They must also understand how to use complex and sensitive testing equipment such as cell counters, analyzers, microscopes, and centrifuges.
Traffic signal technicians and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Traffic Signal Technician | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average salary | $45,817 | $38,859 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $83,000 | Between $28,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Monica, CA | Denton, TX |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Jacobs Engineering Group | Favorite Healthcare Staffing |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a traffic signal technician and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:
| Traffic Signal Technician | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 36% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Nursing |
| Most common college | University of Pittsburgh | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between traffic signal technicians' and certified medical technicians' demographics:
| Traffic Signal Technician | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 97.9% Female, 2.1% | Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 14.9% Unknown, 6.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.5% Asian, 6.7% White, 49.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.8% | Black or African American, 15.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 10.0% White, 53.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |