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The differences between alignment technicians and general service technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an alignment technician, becoming a general service technician takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an alignment technician has an average salary of $38,020, which is higher than the $28,048 average annual salary of a general service technician.
The top three skills for an alignment technician include customer service, hand tools and power steering. The most important skills for a general service technician are customer service, maintenance services, and strong customer service.
| Alignment Technician | General Service Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $38,020 | $28,048 |
| Hourly rate | $18.28 | $13.48 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 143,585 | 163,387 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 40% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
Alignment Technicians are responsible for the alignment process of wheels and tires of a vehicle. Their duties include completing work repair orders, driving vehicles to the wheel alignment rack, and administering regular tests of the bent axle, bent steering rods, worn ball joints, and faulty wheel alignment. They are also involved in straightening axles, adjusting shims, straightening steering rods, and joining pins to undertake new parts installation or wheel alignment. They also perform counterweights hammering, shock absorber installations, and frame straightening. Other duties may include ensuring work complies with factory standards, attending product training by the manufacturer, and safely operating equipment and tools.
General service technicians are skilled employees who are responsible for performing maintenance duties for automobiles and other light vehicles. These technicians are required to interact with customers to discuss cost estimates for performing automotive maintenance services. They must conduct visual vehicle inspections and perform any necessary repairs or replacement of automotive parts. They are required to be skillful in operating machines that mount and balance the tires of vehicles. General service technicians must also check the electrical systems of vehicles and should know how to install car batteries.
Alignment technicians and general service technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Alignment Technician | General Service Technician | |
| Average salary | $38,020 | $28,048 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $57,000 | Between $21,000 And $35,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Cupertino, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Alaska |
| Best paying company | - | All American Group |
| Best paying industry | - | Automotive |
There are a few differences between an alignment technician and a general service technician in terms of educational background:
| Alignment Technician | General Service Technician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 40% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between alignment technicians' and general service technicians' demographics:
| Alignment Technician | General Service Technician | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.9% Female, 4.1% | Male, 94.5% Female, 5.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.9% Asian, 5.8% White, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.2% Asian, 5.1% White, 60.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |