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The differences between automotive technicians and certified 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 technician and a certified technician. Additionally, a certified technician has an average salary of $52,208, which is higher than the $40,910 average annual salary of an automotive technician.
The top three skills for an automotive technician include work ethic, computer system and customer service. The most important skills for a certified technician are A+, patients, and patient care.
| Automotive Technician | Certified Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $40,910 | $52,208 |
| Hourly rate | $19.67 | $25.10 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 142,840 | 140,083 |
| Job satisfaction | 3.5 | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 34% | Bachelor's Degree, 33% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
An automotive technician is responsible for maintaining the condition of automotive equipment. The duties of an automotive technician include repairing defective automotive components and inspecting and ensuring the auto's performance, stability, and safety. A tech is also responsible for upgrading the electrical systems to boost efficiency, conducting oil changes and tire checks, and installing batteries. An automotive technician also runs quality checks and improves system designs based on clients' specifications. An automotive technician must have excellent knowledge of the mechanical industry and automotive systems to assist clients with their inquiries and concerns.
Certified technicians are technical professionals who perform technical tasks in the fields of applied science or engineering technology. These technicians are required to demonstrate their customer service skills and problem-solving abilities by resolving issues of customers immediately and efficiently. They must follow the dealership standards when performing work specified to maintenance and repair orders. They are required to work directly with customers to maximize equitable profitability for both the organization and their customers. Certified technicians must also possess detailed knowledge and experience in automobile mechanical works.
Automotive technicians and certified technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Automotive Technician | Certified Technician | |
| Average salary | $40,910 | $52,208 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $57,000 | Between $32,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | Los Angeles, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Orange County Sheriff's Office | Connor Group |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | - |
There are a few differences between an automotive technician and a certified technician in terms of educational background:
| Automotive Technician | Certified Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 34% | Bachelor's Degree, 33% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between automotive technicians' and certified technicians' demographics:
| Automotive Technician | Certified Technician | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.8% Female, 4.2% | Male, 75.3% Female, 24.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.5% Asian, 5.0% White, 60.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 18.8% Asian, 5.0% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |