Wire photo operator vs signal technician

The differences between wire photo operators and signal 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 wire photo operator and a signal technician. Additionally, a signal technician has an average salary of $51,106, which is higher than the $38,928 average annual salary of a wire photo operator.

The top three skills for a wire photo operator include RAN, mask and UV. The most important skills for a signal technician are traffic control devices, CDL, and DOD.

Wire photo operator vs signal technician overview

	Wire Photo Operator	Signal Technician
Yearly salary	$38,928	$51,106
Hourly rate	$18.72	$24.57
Growth rate	10%	10%
Number of jobs	30,588	25,177
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 41%	Associate Degree, 42%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	4	4

Wire photo operator vs signal technician salary

Wire photo operators and signal technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Wire Photo Operator	Signal Technician
Average salary	$38,928	$51,106
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $56,000	Between $37,000 And $69,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between wire photo operator and signal technician education

There are a few differences between a wire photo operator and a signal technician in terms of educational background:

	Wire Photo Operator	Signal Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 41%	Associate Degree, 42%
Most common major	Business	Electrical Engineering
Most common college	New York University	Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon

Wire photo operator vs signal technician demographics

Here are the differences between wire photo operators' and signal technicians' demographics:

	Wire Photo Operator	Signal Technician
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 59.9% Female, 40.1%	Male, 84.8% Female, 15.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 6.6% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 5.1% White, 64.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 5.0% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between wire photo operator and signal technician duties and responsibilities

Wire photo operator example responsibilities.

Manage the master calendar and schedule resources such as communication equipment, weapons, transportation and ammunition forecast and delivery.
Perform HMDS and UV cure bakes.
Mask alignment for analog IC chips.
Inspect substrates for proper photo resist quality prior to etching.
Execute trade reports into ADP system for new & existing accounts.
Conduct routine operating inspections of the unit, troubleshoot operational problems and respond to area emergencies or to changing operational situations.

Signal technician example responsibilities.

Used UNIX base analysis systems to accomplish all tasks.
Compose written reports of data collect from patient evaluation and present to department chief for thorough analysis of patient diagnosis.
Coordinate with road masters and other CSX personnel to get cars spot and efficient completion of all require task.
Assist in the construction and installation of ATC and PTC systems.

Wire photo operator vs signal technician skills

Common wire photo operator skills

RAN, 25%
Mask, 13%
UV, 13%
SPC, 12%
Clean Room Environment, 11%
Photo Lab, 9%

Common signal technician skills

Traffic Control Devices, 22%
CDL, 14%
DOD, 9%
Signal Systems, 7%
MUTCD, 6%
IMSA, 6%

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Wire Photo Operator
Wire Photo Operator vs Signal Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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