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Auto detailer vs automotive detailer

The differences between auto detailers and automotive detailers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an auto detailer has an average salary of $28,746, which is higher than the $28,357 average annual salary of an automotive detailer.

The top three skills for an auto detailer include shampoo carpets, general maintenance and service tools. The most important skills for an automotive detailer are work ethic, cleanliness, and customer vehicles.

Auto detailer vs automotive detailer overview

Auto DetailerAutomotive Detailer
Yearly salary$28,746$28,357
Hourly rate$13.82$13.63
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs11,01837,088
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 57%High School Diploma, 51%
Average age3838
Years of experience--

What does an auto detailer do?

An auto or car detailer is an employee who provides internal and external cleaning services for vehicles according to the clients' needs. Auto detailers provide the necessary cleaning services that can include steaming the interiors, vacuuming the carpets, and applying waxes and polishes. They are required to perform inspections of vehicles and provide accurate records of the vehicle's condition. By clients' requests, auto detailers must also move and park the clients' vehicles or deliver them to a specific location.

What does an automotive detailer do?

An automotive detailer typically works at car shops and dealerships, where they primarily focus on the upkeep of a car's interior and exterior. Their responsibilities revolve around understanding the clients' needs and preferences, cleaning the vehicles according to protocols and client requests, scraping off dirt, coordinating with paint technicians and mechanics, operating devices and machinery such as vacuums and buffers, and adhering to timelines and budgets. Moreover, an automotive detailer also monitors the inventory of supplies and handles calls and correspondence.

Auto detailer vs automotive detailer salary

Auto detailers and automotive detailers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Auto DetailerAutomotive Detailer
Average salary$28,746$28,357
Salary rangeBetween $23,000 And $35,000Between $22,000 And $35,000
Highest paying CityBellevue, WASeattle, WA
Highest paying stateWashingtonWashington
Best paying companyChemung ArcMars
Best paying industryRetailRetail

Differences between auto detailer and automotive detailer education

There are a few differences between an auto detailer and an automotive detailer in terms of educational background:

Auto DetailerAutomotive Detailer
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 57%High School Diploma, 51%
Most common majorBusinessAutomotive Technology
Most common college--

Auto detailer vs automotive detailer demographics

Here are the differences between auto detailers' and automotive detailers' demographics:

Auto DetailerAutomotive Detailer
Average age3838
Gender ratioMale, 89.2% Female, 10.8%Male, 89.4% Female, 10.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 12.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 15.5% Asian, 4.5% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 13.4% Asian, 4.6% White, 64.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage5%5%

Differences between auto detailer and automotive detailer duties and responsibilities

Auto detailer example responsibilities.

  • Provide professional automobile detailing services with a variety of cleaning techniques and products to ensure the desired level of superior cleanliness.
  • Maintain the dealership grounds by mowing, weed eating and maintaining mowing equipment.

Automotive detailer example responsibilities.

  • Cleaned/Wax automobiles and maintain the cleanliness of the showroom
  • Detail cars, trucks, RV's, and boats on a daily basis.
  • Detail cars, trucks, planes, RV's, boats, air boats, hover crafts and all-terrain vehicles.
  • Visit various stores, take inventory, and stock their shelves with Frito-Lay products.
  • Provide oversight to several Sacramento-area grocery stores to stock shelves with Frito-Lay merchandise in a neat and organize fashion.

Auto detailer vs automotive detailer skills

Common auto detailer skills
  • Shampoo Carpets, 37%
  • General Maintenance, 19%
  • Service Tools, 7%
  • Customer Vehicles, 6%
  • Engine Compartment, 6%
  • Customer Service, 5%
Common automotive detailer skills
  • Work Ethic, 23%
  • Cleanliness, 10%
  • Customer Vehicles, 9%
  • Engine Compartment, 7%
  • Air Compressors, 5%
  • General Maintenance, 5%

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