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Car wash attendant vs service porter

The differences between car wash attendants and service porters can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a car wash attendant has an average salary of $30,843, which is higher than the $28,469 average annual salary of a service porter.

The top three skills for a car wash attendant include visual inspections, menu options and competent demeanor. The most important skills for a service porter are customer vehicles, cleanliness, and work ethic.

Car wash attendant vs service porter overview

Car Wash AttendantService Porter
Yearly salary$30,843$28,469
Hourly rate$14.83$13.69
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs49,51210,027
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 57%High School Diploma, 48%
Average age3838
Years of experience--

What does a car wash attendant do?

As a car wash attendant, they wash and polish car exteriors and interiors. They often clean tires, dust, drying, applying soap solutions, vacuuming car interiors, scraping loose specks of dirt, cleaning seats, and removing the trash on a car. This type of job requires reliability, communication, physical fitness, and customer service skills. Formal education is not fully required though most of them hold a high school diploma. However, their attention to detail and good customer service may increase their employment opportunities.

What does a service porter do?

Typically working in car dealerships, a service porter is in charge of performing a variety of tasks to maintain smooth operations. They maintain vehicles in good condition by conducting regular maintenance checks and repairs, refilling gas tanks, inspecting tires and batteries, and cleaning the interior and exterior of cars. There are also instances where they perform clerical support tasks such as answering calls and correspondence, preparing and processing documents, and monitoring the inventory. Moreover, a service porter may also assist potential buyers and keep them company during test drives.

Car wash attendant vs service porter salary

Car wash attendants and service porters have different pay scales, as shown below.

Car Wash AttendantService Porter
Average salary$30,843$28,469
Salary rangeBetween $24,000 And $39,000Between $22,000 And $35,000
Highest paying CityBrentwood, CAKirkland, WA
Highest paying stateWashingtonWashington
Best paying companyCharles River CenterClean Harbors
Best paying industryTechnologyReal Estate

Differences between car wash attendant and service porter education

There are a few differences between a car wash attendant and a service porter in terms of educational background:

Car Wash AttendantService Porter
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 57%High School Diploma, 48%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Car wash attendant vs service porter demographics

Here are the differences between car wash attendants' and service porters' demographics:

Car Wash AttendantService Porter
Average age3838
Gender ratioMale, 84.4% Female, 15.6%Male, 88.9% Female, 11.1%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 12.5% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 4.1% White, 61.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 21.0% Asian, 4.9% White, 56.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage5%5%

Differences between car wash attendant and service porter duties and responsibilities

Car wash attendant example responsibilities.

  • Manage stock of the vehicles; document vehicle locations and individual VIN numbers.
  • Manage to sweep and mop floor; clean bathroom and empty trash and dryer lint traps.
  • Clean and service cars for Daimler Chrysler.
  • Make change for customer purchases, pre-soak customer cars, clean and scrub all machines and walls.
  • Inspect and maintain operation of all equipment including arches, guns, dryers, lights, chain, and vacuums.
  • Maintain facility cleanliness to standards.
  • Show more

Service porter example responsibilities.

  • Manage stock of the vehicles; document vehicle locations and individual VIN numbers.
  • Ensure customer satisfaction through efficient maintenance of service areas and improve cleanliness.
  • Wash and detail RV's as well as transport to sublet repair shops.
  • Maintain the proper inventory records of all vehicles and ensure that they match the correct RV.
  • Maintain cleanliness around service department and showroom.
  • Prepare cleaning solutions as necessary and follow safety procedures as prescribed by OSHA.
  • Show more

Car wash attendant vs service porter skills

Common car wash attendant skills
  • Visual Inspections, 46%
  • Menu Options, 24%
  • Competent Demeanor, 7%
  • Customer Service, 5%
  • Cleanliness, 4%
  • Work Ethic, 3%
Common service porter skills
  • Customer Vehicles, 19%
  • Cleanliness, 12%
  • Work Ethic, 12%
  • Service Drive, 10%
  • Customer Service, 6%
  • General Cleanup, 5%

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