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Utility technician vs senior maintenance technician

The differences between utility technicians and senior 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 senior maintenance technician. Additionally, a senior maintenance technician has an average salary of $51,970, 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 senior maintenance technician are HVAC, plumbing, and customer service.

Utility technician vs senior maintenance technician overview

Utility TechnicianSenior Maintenance Technician
Yearly salary$37,073$51,970
Hourly rate$17.82$24.99
Growth rate5%5%
Number of jobs121,895137,443
Job satisfaction4-
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 32%Associate Degree, 42%
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 senior maintenance technician do?

A senior maintenance technician is responsible for the maintenance and repairs of an establishment or household's electrical and mechanical systems. Senior maintenance technicians handle the installation of ventilation systems, as well as the inspection of equipment and machinery, to ensure optimal performance and efficiency for business operations. They also monitor the adequacy of inventories needed to set up systems and other functionalities. A senior maintenance technician must have excellent organizational and mechanical skills and the ability to follow safety procedures and processes during operations.

Utility technician vs senior maintenance technician salary

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

Utility TechnicianSenior Maintenance Technician
Average salary$37,073$51,970
Salary rangeBetween $27,000 And $49,000Between $37,000 And $71,000
Highest paying CityMilwaukee, WISacramento, CA
Highest paying stateHawaiiAlaska
Best paying companyAnheuser-BuschEssex Property Trust
Best paying industryFinanceTechnology

Differences between utility technician and senior maintenance technician education

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

Utility TechnicianSenior Maintenance Technician
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 32%Associate Degree, 42%
Most common majorBusinessElectrical Engineering
Most common college--

Utility technician vs senior maintenance technician demographics

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

Utility TechnicianSenior Maintenance Technician
Average age4747
Gender ratioMale, 85.8% Female, 14.2%Male, 96.8% Female, 3.2%
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, 10.9% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 4.5% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage2%2%

Differences between utility technician and senior 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.
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Senior maintenance technician example responsibilities.

  • Manage all hazardous materials generate by shop operations and ensure safety requirements are met in accordance to OSHA standards.
  • Upgrade and implement well-defined CMMS to better track preventative and predictive maintenance.
  • Climb vertical ladders, work at heights.
  • Experience with gaffs, safety harness, bucket truck, and ladders.
  • Assist in the creation of the PLC back-up program that is currently in use.
  • Subject matter expert responsible for PLC systems and furnace systems throughout a 4 plant campus.
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Utility technician vs senior maintenance technician skills

Common utility technician skills
  • Customer Service, 13%
  • Ladders, 6%
  • Safety Procedures, 4%
  • HVAC, 3%
  • Cranes, 3%
  • Preventive Maintenance, 3%
Common senior maintenance technician skills
  • HVAC, 8%
  • Plumbing, 7%
  • Customer Service, 7%
  • Ladders, 6%
  • PLC, 6%
  • CMMS, 5%

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