Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between automotive technicians and tire 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 tire technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, an automotive technician has an average salary of $40,910, which is higher than the $38,376 average annual salary of a tire technician.
The top three skills for an automotive technician include work ethic, computer system and customer service. The most important skills for a tire technician are customer service, commercial vehicles, and customer satisfaction.
| Automotive Technician | Tire Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $40,910 | $38,376 |
| Hourly rate | $19.67 | $18.45 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 142,840 | 110,586 |
| Job satisfaction | 3.5 | 5 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 34% | High School Diploma, 56% |
| Average age | 40 | 36 |
| 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.
Tire technicians typically work in car dealerships and automotive repair shops to inspect, replace, install and repair tires on trucks, cars, and other vehicles. They tend to work alongside the mechanics with a focus on ensuring that tires are reliable, safe, and work with other car systems. To be qualified in this position, you should be very attentive to detail as you typically will examine for signs of tire failure and wear. Tire technicians are also responsible for giving recommendations to customers about tire care and replacement.
Automotive technicians and tire technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Automotive Technician | Tire Technician | |
| Average salary | $40,910 | $38,376 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $57,000 | Between $27,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | Los Angeles, CA | Washington, NJ |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Orange County Sheriff's Office | State Street |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Retail |
There are a few differences between an automotive technician and a tire technician in terms of educational background:
| Automotive Technician | Tire Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 34% | High School Diploma, 56% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between automotive technicians' and tire technicians' demographics:
| Automotive Technician | Tire Technician | |
| Average age | 40 | 36 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.8% Female, 4.2% | Male, 96.5% Female, 3.5% |
| 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, 8.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 20.7% Asian, 2.1% White, 63.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 4% |