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The differences between automotive technicians and light wheel 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 light wheel mechanic. Additionally, a light wheel mechanic has an average salary of $41,948, 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 light wheel mechanic are mechanical problems, electrical systems, and equipment systems.
| Automotive Technician | Light Wheel Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $40,910 | $41,948 |
| Hourly rate | $19.67 | $20.17 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 142,840 | 90,297 |
| Job satisfaction | 3.5 | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 34% | High School Diploma, 41% |
| 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 light wheel mechanic is responsible for maintaining the optimal performance and efficiency of light-wheeled vehicles used for industrial operations, especially in a military setting. Light wheel mechanics inspect the condition of the vehicle's engine, perform preventive maintenance, replace defective components, assemble upgrade systems based on schematics and blueprints, and create resolution reports for reference. They must have excellent knowledge of the auto-mechanic industry to determine faults and identify repairs, avoiding delays, complications, and hazards during operations.
Automotive technicians and light wheel mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Automotive Technician | Light Wheel Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $40,910 | $41,948 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $57,000 | Between $25,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | Los Angeles, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | California | - |
| Best paying company | Orange County Sheriff's Office | - |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | - |
There are a few differences between an automotive technician and a light wheel mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Automotive Technician | Light Wheel Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 34% | High School Diploma, 41% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between automotive technicians' and light wheel mechanics' demographics:
| Automotive Technician | Light Wheel Mechanic | |
| Average age | 40 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.8% Female, 4.2% | Male, 87.4% Female, 12.6% |
| 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, 9.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 2.5% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |