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The differences between body shop technicians and shop technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a body shop technician has an average salary of $42,116, which is higher than the $36,798 average annual salary of a shop technician.
The top three skills for a body shop technician include body shop, OSHA and refinish. The most important skills for a shop technician are preventative maintenance, routine maintenance, and diagnosis.
| Body Shop Technician | Shop Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $42,116 | $36,798 |
| Hourly rate | $20.25 | $17.69 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 40,107 | 150,349 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 47% | High School Diploma, 30% |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
A body shop technician specializes in repairing and restoring the exteriors of vehicles. It is their responsibility to assess vehicle damage reports, conduct inspections, develop plans, provide cost estimates, remove damaged parts and attach new ones, realign frames and structures, perform installations and upgrades, and refinish surfaces. They may also assist clients by answering inquiries, providing them with vehicle care advice, and recommending upgrades. Moreover, a body shop technician typically works in a group setting, which requires an active communication line for a smooth and efficient workflow.
Shop Technicians are skilled workers assigned to a retail store. Their main activities depend on the nature of the business their company is in. Usually, Shop Technicians work with machines in the shop. They conduct repair and maintenance work for machines that have long been in the shop. They are also in charge of installing and building new machines as well. Shop Technicians are assigned to manage records of such machines or s other mechanical items in the store. This is part of the administrative activities they may do for the shop.
Body shop technicians and shop technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Body Shop Technician | Shop Technician | |
| Average salary | $42,116 | $36,798 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $66,000 | Between $25,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | Middletown, CT | San Leandro, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maine | Alaska |
| Best paying company | DATTCO | Los Alamos National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Energy |
There are a few differences between a body shop technician and a shop technician in terms of educational background:
| Body Shop Technician | Shop Technician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 47% | High School Diploma, 30% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between body shop technicians' and shop technicians' demographics:
| Body Shop Technician | Shop Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.5% Female, 5.5% | Male, 91.9% Female, 8.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 1.8% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 2.4% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 2% |