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The differences between automotive repair technicians and alignment technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an automotive repair technician and an alignment technician. Additionally, an automotive repair technician has an average salary of $43,699, which is higher than the $38,020 average annual salary of an alignment technician.
The top three skills for an automotive repair technician include diagnosis, professional work and hand tools. The most important skills for an alignment technician are customer service, hand tools, and power steering.
| Automotive Repair Technician | Alignment Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $43,699 | $38,020 |
| Hourly rate | $21.01 | $18.28 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 160,366 | 143,585 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 31% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
An automotive repair technician specializes in repairing and maintaining automotive equipment and systems. Part of their job requires them to communicate with clients to identify their needs, inspect the vehicles, conduct diagnostic and emission tests, troubleshoot problems, and replace or fix components as necessary. They also provide clients with cost estimates, discuss the extent of damages and needed repairs, and recommend other options or services. Moreover, as an automotive repair technician, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with staff for a smooth workflow.
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.
Automotive repair technicians and alignment technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Automotive Repair Technician | Alignment Technician | |
| Average salary | $43,699 | $38,020 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $63,000 | Between $25,000 And $57,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fairfield, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | California | - |
| Best paying company | AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah | - |
| Best paying industry | Retail | - |
There are a few differences between an automotive repair technician and an alignment technician in terms of educational background:
| Automotive Repair Technician | Alignment Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 31% | High School Diploma, 40% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between automotive repair technicians' and alignment technicians' demographics:
| Automotive Repair Technician | Alignment Technician | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.2% Female, 5.8% | Male, 95.9% Female, 4.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.7% Asian, 5.0% White, 61.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |