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The differences between alignment technicians and tire 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 tire technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a tire technician has an average salary of $38,376, which is higher than the $38,020 average annual salary of an alignment technician.
The top three skills for an alignment technician include customer service, hand tools and power steering. The most important skills for a tire technician are customer service, commercial vehicles, and customer satisfaction.
| Alignment Technician | Tire Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $38,020 | $38,376 |
| Hourly rate | $18.28 | $18.45 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 143,585 | 110,586 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 40% | High School Diploma, 56% |
| Average age | 40 | 36 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
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.
Tire technicians typically work in car dealerships and automotive repair shops to inspect, replace, install and repair tires on trucks, cars, and other vehicles. They tend to work alongside the mechanics with a focus on ensuring that tires are reliable, safe, and work with other car systems. To be qualified in this position, you should be very attentive to detail as you typically will examine for signs of tire failure and wear. Tire technicians are also responsible for giving recommendations to customers about tire care and replacement.
Alignment technicians and tire technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Alignment Technician | Tire Technician | |
| Average salary | $38,020 | $38,376 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $57,000 | Between $27,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Washington, NJ |
| Highest paying state | - | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | - | State Street |
| Best paying industry | - | Retail |
There are a few differences between an alignment technician and a tire technician in terms of educational background:
| Alignment Technician | Tire Technician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 40% | High School Diploma, 56% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between alignment technicians' and tire technicians' demographics:
| Alignment Technician | Tire Technician | |
| Average age | 40 | 36 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.9% Female, 4.1% | Male, 96.5% Female, 3.5% |
| 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, 8.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 20.7% Asian, 2.1% White, 63.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 4% |