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Utility technician vs maintenance technician

The differences between utility technicians and maintenance technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a utility technician and a maintenance technician. Additionally, a maintenance technician has an average salary of $43,293, which is higher than the $37,073 average annual salary of a utility technician.

The top three skills for a utility technician include customer service, ladders and safety procedures. The most important skills for a maintenance technician are plumbing, HVAC, and hand tools.

Utility technician vs maintenance technician overview

Utility TechnicianMaintenance Technician
Yearly salary$37,073$43,293
Hourly rate$17.82$20.81
Growth rate5%5%
Number of jobs121,895178,450
Job satisfaction44.25
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 32%High School Diploma, 34%
Average age4747
Years of experience44

What does a utility technician do?

A utility technician performs various duties and responsibilities for an organization. These include inspecting utility infrastructure and reporting any deficiencies, auditing utility services and ensuring current standards are complied with, and updating and maintaining the utility information database. As a utility technician, you are responsible for coordinating projects and communicating results of finished projects, performing preventive maintenance, and diagnosing and troubleshooting equipment and system malfunctions. You are also responsible for conducting training and mentoring new utility technicians.

What does a maintenance technician do?

Maintenance technicians are technicians who specialize in the preservation of office facilities. They have in-depth knowledge of how various office equipment or fixtures work so that they can immediately identify how to repair them in case of breakdowns. Maintenance technicians perform diagnostics and routine maintenance activities to ensure that everything in the office is running well. They immediately repair problems in fixtures or equipment to avoid any further damages or safety concerns. They should be familiar with occupational safety and health standards to ensure that the office is a safe place to work.

Utility technician vs maintenance technician salary

Utility technicians and maintenance technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Utility TechnicianMaintenance Technician
Average salary$37,073$43,293
Salary rangeBetween $27,000 And $49,000Between $31,000 And $59,000
Highest paying CityMilwaukee, WIRichmond, CA
Highest paying stateHawaiiRhode Island
Best paying companyAnheuser-BuschAnheuser-Busch
Best paying industryFinanceManufacturing

Differences between utility technician and maintenance technician education

There are a few differences between a utility technician and a maintenance technician in terms of educational background:

Utility TechnicianMaintenance Technician
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 32%High School Diploma, 34%
Most common majorBusinessElectrical Engineering Technology
Most common college--

Utility technician vs maintenance technician demographics

Here are the differences between utility technicians' and maintenance technicians' demographics:

Utility TechnicianMaintenance Technician
Average age4747
Gender ratioMale, 85.8% Female, 14.2%Male, 95.7% Female, 4.3%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 4.6% White, 59.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 4.6% White, 60.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage2%2%

Differences between utility technician and maintenance technician duties and responsibilities

Utility technician example responsibilities.

  • Maintain numerous automate scripts to assist in managing Linux systems.
  • Assist engineers in daily duties such as lighting and HVAC.
  • Process includes both mechanical and electronic integration-programming of settings, PLC linking power settings, etc.
  • Collect, compact and bail cardboard, transport cardboard pallets to pickup area with a pallet jack.
  • Experience in/with electric motors, diesel motors, gasoline engines, pumps, plumbing systems, isolation valves.
  • General landscape maintenance including mowing lawns, blowing walkway surfaces, as well as tree and branch removal.
  • Show more

Maintenance technician example responsibilities.

  • Install, repair and troubleshoot electrical wiring, including switches, outlets, lights, ballast.
  • Monitor and document all temperature readings on boilers, chillers, and dry vac systems beginning and mid shift.
  • Perform preventative maintenance checks and services on exhaust fans, boilers, chiller units, automatic transfer switches, and generators.
  • Repair electrical equipment; replace faulty electrical switches; repair refrigeration equipment.
  • Handle trouble-shooting and repair of mechanical systems refrigerant recovery and charging of HVAC systems.
  • Facilitate commercial plumbing, electrical, light HVAC, and carpentry repairs in a laboratory facility environment
  • Show more

Utility technician vs maintenance technician skills

Common utility technician skills
  • Customer Service, 13%
  • Ladders, 6%
  • Safety Procedures, 4%
  • HVAC, 3%
  • Cranes, 3%
  • Preventive Maintenance, 3%
Common maintenance technician skills
  • Plumbing, 10%
  • HVAC, 8%
  • Hand Tools, 7%
  • Customer Service, 6%
  • Ladders, 4%
  • Electrical Systems, 4%

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