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The differences between automotive technicians and diesel 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 technician and a diesel mechanic. Additionally, a diesel mechanic has an average salary of $49,842, 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 diesel mechanic are CDL, preventative maintenance, and DOT.
| Automotive Technician | Diesel Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $40,910 | $49,842 |
| Hourly rate | $19.67 | $23.96 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 142,840 | 85,684 |
| Job satisfaction | 3.5 | 5 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 34% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Average age | 40 | 42 |
| 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.
A diesel mechanic is a skilled technician responsible for the checking, maintenance, and repair of diesel engines. Diesel mechanics duties also include regular inspections of vehicles upon customer's request to ensure the smooth performance of the machine, communicate on any system issue that might cause malfunctions, and provide any replacement to renovate a damaged part of the engine. A diesel mechanic must be highly-knowledgeable on everything related to diesel engines to provide the best, long-term solutions for the customers.
Automotive technicians and diesel mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Automotive Technician | Diesel Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $40,910 | $49,842 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $57,000 | Between $37,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | Los Angeles, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Orange County Sheriff's Office | Hensel Phelps |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Energy |
There are a few differences between an automotive technician and a diesel mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Automotive Technician | Diesel Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 34% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between automotive technicians' and diesel mechanics' demographics:
| Automotive Technician | Diesel Mechanic | |
| Average age | 40 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.8% Female, 4.2% | Male, 96.3% Female, 3.7% |
| 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, 8.1% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 2.4% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |