Car mechanic vs alignment technician

The differences between car mechanics and alignment technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a car mechanic and an alignment technician. Additionally, an alignment technician has an average salary of $38,020, which is higher than the $37,369 average annual salary of a car mechanic.

The top three skills for a car mechanic include diagnostic tools, ASE and engine repair. The most important skills for an alignment technician are customer service, hand tools, and power steering.

Car mechanic vs alignment technician overview

	Car Mechanic	Alignment Technician
Yearly salary	$37,369	$38,020
Hourly rate	$17.97	$18.28
Growth rate	1%	1%
Number of jobs	89,782	143,585
Job satisfaction	2	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 38%	High School Diploma, 40%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	2	2

Car mechanic vs alignment technician salary

Car mechanics and alignment technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Car Mechanic	Alignment Technician
Average salary	$37,369	$38,020
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $49,000	Between $25,000 And $57,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between car mechanic and alignment technician education

There are a few differences between a car mechanic and an alignment technician in terms of educational background:

	Car Mechanic	Alignment Technician
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 38%	High School Diploma, 40%
Most common major	Automotive Technology	Automotive Technology
Most common college	-	-

Car mechanic vs alignment technician demographics

Here are the differences between car mechanics' and alignment technicians' demographics:

	Car Mechanic	Alignment Technician
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 97.5% Female, 2.5%	Male, 95.9% Female, 4.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.8% Asian, 5.0% White, 59.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.9% Asian, 5.8% White, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	2%	2%

Differences between car mechanic and alignment technician duties and responsibilities

Car mechanic example responsibilities.

Adjust and set mowing heights for all mowers per the superintendant.
Sharpen all mowing blades for greens mowers, rough mowers and fairway mowers.
Perform diagnostics on vehicle ECUs in addition to vehicle services such as oil, brakes, and filter changes.
Weld broken frames and battery boxes.
Preform tune-ups and A/C, and electrical repairs.
Fabricate new parts using gas torches, welder and various measuring tools.

Alignment technician example responsibilities.

Repair wheels using grinders, sanders and paint equipment.
Straighten bend or damage alloy wheels.
Assist with MIG welding and exhaust work.
Perform all general lube and oil filter changes.
Used a grinder and DA sanders to remove damage from rims.
Clean and resize bearing fillet and dust guard seat using various grinders.

Car mechanic vs alignment technician skills

Common car mechanic skills

Diagnostic Tools, 18%
ASE, 9%
Engine Repair, 9%
Brake Pads, 7%
Customer Vehicles, 6%
Oil Changes, 6%

Common alignment technician skills

Customer Service, 39%
Hand Tools, 34%
Power Steering, 10%
Customer Vehicles, 6%
Customer Satisfaction, 4%
Diagnosis, 1%

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Car Mechanic vs Alignment Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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