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The differences between automotive 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 technician, becoming a general service technician takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an automotive technician has an average salary of $40,910, which is higher than the $28,048 average annual salary of a general service technician.
The top three skills for an automotive technician include work ethic, computer system and customer service. The most important skills for a general service technician are customer service, maintenance services, and strong customer service.
| Automotive Technician | General Service Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $40,910 | $28,048 |
| Hourly rate | $19.67 | $13.48 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 142,840 | 163,387 |
| Job satisfaction | 3.5 | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 34% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
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.
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 technicians and general service technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Automotive Technician | General Service Technician | |
| Average salary | $40,910 | $28,048 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $57,000 | Between $21,000 And $35,000 |
| Highest paying City | Los Angeles, CA | Cupertino, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Orange County Sheriff's Office | All American Group |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Automotive |
There are a few differences between an automotive technician and a general service technician in terms of educational background:
| Automotive Technician | General Service Technician | |
| 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 general service technicians' demographics:
| Automotive Technician | General Service Technician | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.8% Female, 4.2% | Male, 94.5% Female, 5.5% |
| 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, 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% |