Bus mechanic vs mechanic's assistant

The differences between bus mechanics and mechanic's assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a bus mechanic and a mechanic's assistant. Additionally, a bus mechanic has an average salary of $47,198, which is higher than the $41,533 average annual salary of a mechanic's assistant.

The top three skills for a bus mechanic include CDL, preventative maintenance and diesel engines. The most important skills for a mechanic's assistant are preventative maintenance, hand tools, and OSHA.

Bus mechanic vs mechanic's assistant overview

	Bus Mechanic	Mechanic's Assistant
Yearly salary	$47,198	$41,533
Hourly rate	$22.69	$19.97
Growth rate	4%	4%
Number of jobs	91,549	40,249
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 37%	High School Diploma, 41%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	2	2

Bus mechanic vs mechanic's assistant salary

Bus mechanics and mechanic's assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Bus Mechanic	Mechanic's Assistant
Average salary	$47,198	$41,533
Salary range	Between $34,000 And $63,000	Between $27,000 And $63,000
Highest paying City	Los Angeles, CA	San Jose, CA
Highest paying state	California	New York
Best paying company	SDST Spartans	ASRC Federal
Best paying industry	Transportation	Energy

Differences between bus mechanic and mechanic's assistant education

There are a few differences between a bus mechanic and a mechanic's assistant in terms of educational background:

	Bus Mechanic	Mechanic's Assistant
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 37%	High School Diploma, 41%
Most common major	Automotive Technology	Automotive Technology
Most common college	-	-

Bus mechanic vs mechanic's assistant demographics

Here are the differences between bus mechanics' and mechanic's assistants' demographics:

	Bus Mechanic	Mechanic's Assistant
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 97.1% Female, 2.9%	Male, 93.2% Female, 6.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 2.4% White, 66.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%	Black or African American, 7.3% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 20.0% Asian, 2.3% White, 64.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	2%	2%

Differences between bus mechanic and mechanic's assistant duties and responsibilities

Bus mechanic example responsibilities.

Accomplish several other kenworth basic training modules.Skills UsedProblem solving, mechanical aptitude, and efficient workmanship.
Perform all electrical and HVAC repairs.
Obtain ASE for school bus body and specialty equipment.
Raise buses, and heavy parts or equipment using hydraulic jacks and hoists.
Perform p.m. services, brake jobs, a/c work, electrical and computer diagnostics.
Repair of buses with hydraulics and maintain facilities lifts, HVAC, air systems and grounds.

Mechanic's assistant example responsibilities.

Manage paperwork associate with HVAC procedures and invoices
Remove defective parts by dismantling devices; using hoists, cranes, and hand and power tools.
Light duty power equipment, chainsaws, string trimmers, leaf blowers, snow blowers, etc.
Work extensively with HVAC in automotive capacity.
Document repairs, modifications and inspections in accordance with FAA requirements on both paper and in an automate maintenance information database.
Pick up and deliver a/c units, parts and materials to jobsite.

Bus mechanic vs mechanic's assistant skills

Common bus mechanic skills

CDL, 28%
Preventative Maintenance, 12%
Diesel Engines, 6%
ASE, 5%
Hand Tools, 5%
DOT, 5%

Common mechanic's assistant skills

Preventative Maintenance, 12%
Hand Tools, 10%
OSHA, 8%
Safety Equipment, 6%
Oil Changes, 6%
Routine Maintenance, 5%

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Bus Mechanic vs Mechanic's Assistant

Updated January 8, 2025

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