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The differences between automotive technicians and electricians 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 technician, becoming an electrician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, an electrician has an average salary of $48,850, 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 an electrician are hand tools, electrical equipment, and run conduit.
| Automotive Technician | Electrician | |
| Yearly salary | $40,910 | $48,850 |
| Hourly rate | $19.67 | $23.49 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 142,840 | 17,245 |
| Job satisfaction | 3.5 | 3.86 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 34% | High School Diploma, 32% |
| Average age | 40 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
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.
An electrician is a skilled tradesman in charge of wirings and systems which provide electric power to a facility. They are trained to design, install, maintain, and troubleshoot electrical wiring systems. There are four basic types of an electrician - residential wiremen, inside wiremen, telecommunications electrician, and outside linemen. Some work on a standard 40-hour week shift while others are on-call duty. In some cases, traveling is also a vital key to their role where they would work for a few days before moving to another location.
Automotive technicians and electricians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Automotive Technician | Electrician | |
| Average salary | $40,910 | $48,850 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $57,000 | Between $32,000 And $73,000 |
| Highest paying City | Los Angeles, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Orange County Sheriff's Office | PBF Energy |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Automotive |
There are a few differences between an automotive technician and an electrician in terms of educational background:
| Automotive Technician | Electrician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 34% | High School Diploma, 32% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Electrical Engineering Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between automotive technicians' and electricians' demographics:
| Automotive Technician | Electrician | |
| Average age | 40 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.8% Female, 4.2% | Male, 95.6% Female, 4.4% |
| 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, 8.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 20.5% Asian, 2.2% White, 63.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 3% |