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The differences between automotive service technicians and industrial 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 automotive service technician and an industrial mechanic. Additionally, an industrial mechanic has an average salary of $53,333, which is higher than the $43,077 average annual salary of an automotive service technician.
The top three skills for an automotive service technician include customer service, hand tools and dexterity. The most important skills for an industrial mechanic are industrial maintenance, hand tools, and PLC.
| Automotive Service Technician | Industrial Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $43,077 | $53,333 |
| Hourly rate | $20.71 | $25.64 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 177,784 | 158,560 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 35% | Associate Degree, 35% |
| Average age | 40 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
An industrial mechanic maintains and repairs equipment and any other industrial types of machinery in a factory. Industrial mechanics manage the operation of machinery like production machinery, packaging equipment, and conveying systems. They need to use protective equipment like safety glasses and hardhats as well as follow safety precautions during operations. It is their responsibility to make sure that all industrial machines function well through preventive maintenance service and troubleshooting.
Automotive service technicians and industrial mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Automotive Service Technician | Industrial Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $43,077 | $53,333 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $74,000 | Between $39,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | Alexandria, VA | Fremont, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | West Virginia |
| Best paying company | Cypress | California Resources |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Transportation |
There are a few differences between an automotive service technician and an industrial mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Automotive Service Technician | Industrial Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 35% | Associate Degree, 35% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Industrial Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between automotive service technicians' and industrial mechanics' demographics:
| Automotive Service Technician | Industrial Mechanic | |
| Average age | 40 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4% | Male, 96.6% Female, 3.4% |
| 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, 7.7% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 3.3% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |