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The differences between auto technicians and truck 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 truck mechanic. Additionally, a truck mechanic has an average salary of $50,169, 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 truck mechanic are CDL, customer service, and electrical systems.
| Auto Technician | Truck Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $41,435 | $50,169 |
| Hourly rate | $19.92 | $24.12 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 131,515 | 80,942 |
| Job satisfaction | 2 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 38% | High School Diploma, 37% |
| 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.
Also known as diesel services technicians, truck mechanics perform various heavy-duty truck tasks. The technicians work on large vehicles, tractor-trailers, and buses. It is their duty to inspect, make diagnoses, and repair the brake systems and other electrical components. They conduct routine maintenance work, which aims for longevity and functionality. It is also important for them to have skills in communication, organization, computer system, and administrative tasks.
Auto technicians and truck mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Auto Technician | Truck Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $41,435 | $50,169 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $59,000 | Between $37,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sterling, VA | Newark, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Nevada |
| Best paying company | Deloitte | Allan A. Myers |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Energy |
There are a few differences between an auto technician and a truck mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Auto Technician | Truck Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 38% | High School Diploma, 37% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between auto technicians' and truck mechanics' demographics:
| Auto Technician | Truck Mechanic | |
| Average age | 40 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.1% Female, 4.9% | Male, 97.3% Female, 2.7% |
| 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, 9.1% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 2.5% White, 66.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |