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The differences between automotive repair technicians and lube 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 a lube technician. Additionally, an automotive repair technician has an average salary of $43,699, which is higher than the $29,959 average annual salary of a lube technician.
The top three skills for an automotive repair technician include diagnosis, professional work and hand tools. The most important skills for a lube technician are work ethic, customer service, and hand tools.
| Automotive Repair Technician | Lube Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $43,699 | $29,959 |
| Hourly rate | $21.01 | $14.40 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 160,366 | 131,008 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.5 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 31% | High School Diploma, 53% |
| 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.
A Lube Technician specializes in automotive repairs and maintenance, focusing on lubricating particular engine parts. However, Lube Technicians can also conduct necessary inspection and maintenance of vehicles, change oil or filter, replace parts such as engines and batteries, and perform tire changes or inflation. A Lube Technician usually works as a member of a team or company, so it is essential to have efficient communication, coordination, attention to detail, and build rapport with clients to establish a client-base.
Automotive repair technicians and lube technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Automotive Repair Technician | Lube Technician | |
| Average salary | $43,699 | $29,959 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $63,000 | Between $23,000 And $37,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fairfield, CA | Denver, CO |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah | Martin Marietta |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Retail |
There are a few differences between an automotive repair technician and a lube technician in terms of educational background:
| Automotive Repair Technician | Lube Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 31% | High School Diploma, 53% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between automotive repair technicians' and lube technicians' demographics:
| Automotive Repair Technician | Lube Technician | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.2% Female, 5.8% | Male, 93.7% Female, 6.3% |
| 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, 9.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 20.4% Asian, 5.4% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |