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The differences between auto technicians and mechanics can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an auto technician and a mechanic. Additionally, a mechanic has an average salary of $47,149, which is higher than the $41,435 average annual salary of an auto technician.
The top three skills for an auto technician include taking care, preventive maintenance and customer vehicles. The most important skills for a mechanic are hand tools, preventive maintenance, and customer service.
| Auto Technician | Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $41,435 | $47,149 |
| Hourly rate | $19.92 | $22.67 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 131,515 | 100,534 |
| Job satisfaction | 2 | 4.25 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 38% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Average age | 40 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
An auto technician specializes in performing inspections, repairs, and maintenance on different automotive vehicles ranging from small cars to light trucks. Their responsibilities revolve around identifying issues using various diagnostic tools to determine which course of action to take, discussing the extent of repairs to clients, and ordering car parts from suppliers. There are also instances when an auto technician may have the task of maintaining the cleanliness of the workplace, or participate in record-keeping and monitoring the inventory.
Mechanics are professionals responsible for assembling, maintaining, and repairing vehicles and types of machinery. They are knowledgeable of various tools and equipment, machinery, electrical systems, and other components. They can usually be seen indoors, garages in particular. Due to the advancement of technology, they are also required to be familiar with computer and software programs that can be used in auto shops and vehicles. They always work in safety precautions.
Auto technicians and mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Auto Technician | Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $41,435 | $47,149 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $59,000 | Between $35,000 And $63,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sterling, VA | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Deloitte | Anheuser-Busch |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an auto technician and a mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Auto Technician | Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 38% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between auto technicians' and mechanics' demographics:
| Auto Technician | Mechanic | |
| Average age | 40 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.1% Female, 4.9% | Male, 95.7% Female, 4.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.5% Asian, 5.0% White, 60.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 2.4% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |