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The differences between automotive service technicians and general service technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an automotive service technician, becoming a general service technician takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an automotive service technician has an average salary of $43,077, which is higher than the $28,048 average annual salary of a general service technician.
The top three skills for an automotive service technician include customer service, hand tools and dexterity. The most important skills for a general service technician are customer service, maintenance services, and strong customer service.
| Automotive Service Technician | General Service Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $43,077 | $28,048 |
| Hourly rate | $20.71 | $13.48 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 177,784 | 163,387 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 35% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
Automotive service technicians, often called service technicians, have a duty to inspect, maintain, and repair cars and even light trucks. It is their job as automotive service technicians to find problems, often by computerized diagnostic equipment. They do test parts and systems to guarantee that they work properly and follow checklists to ensure that every critical part is examined. Performing basic care and maintenance is also part of their main tasks, including changing oil, rotating tires, and checking fluid levels.
General service technicians are skilled employees who are responsible for performing maintenance duties for automobiles and other light vehicles. These technicians are required to interact with customers to discuss cost estimates for performing automotive maintenance services. They must conduct visual vehicle inspections and perform any necessary repairs or replacement of automotive parts. They are required to be skillful in operating machines that mount and balance the tires of vehicles. General service technicians must also check the electrical systems of vehicles and should know how to install car batteries.
Automotive service technicians and general service technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Automotive Service Technician | General Service Technician | |
| Average salary | $43,077 | $28,048 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $74,000 | Between $21,000 And $35,000 |
| Highest paying City | Alexandria, VA | Cupertino, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Cypress | All American Group |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Automotive |
There are a few differences between an automotive service technician and a general service technician in terms of educational background:
| Automotive Service Technician | General Service Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 35% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between automotive service technicians' and general service technicians' demographics:
| Automotive Service Technician | General Service Technician | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4% | Male, 94.5% Female, 5.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.5% Asian, 5.0% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 19.2% Asian, 5.1% White, 60.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |