Construction equipment mechanic vs heavy equipment mechanic

The differences between construction equipment mechanics and heavy equipment mechanics can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a construction equipment mechanic and a heavy equipment mechanic. Additionally, a heavy equipment mechanic has an average salary of $49,018, which is higher than the $45,161 average annual salary of a construction equipment mechanic.

The top three skills for a construction equipment mechanic include hand tools, diesel engines and loaders. The most important skills for a heavy equipment mechanic are CDL, hand tools, and loaders.

Construction equipment mechanic vs heavy equipment mechanic overview

	Construction Equipment Mechanic	Heavy Equipment Mechanic
Yearly salary	$45,161	$49,018
Hourly rate	$21.71	$23.57
Growth rate	8%	8%
Number of jobs	74,365	98,464
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 40%	High School Diploma, 39%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	4	4

What does a construction equipment mechanic do?

Construction equipment mechanics repair and service various construction machines like tractors, paving machines, bulldozers, etc. Most construction machines run on engines using diesel fuel instead of gasoline and require special repair training. These mechanics work by testing the machines to identify the source of these mechanical issues and start repairing or replacing the parts. They conduct routine inspections on machines and maintenance by oiling hinges, tightening bolts, and replacing worn-out parts to prevent accidents from happening while in use.

What does a heavy equipment mechanic do?

A heavy equipment mechanic is responsible for operating the heavy machinery used in the production of various industries, inspecting inconsistencies, running diagnostic tests, and replacing defective components to ensure its operational safety and efficiency. Heavy equipment mechanics also upgrade engine systems to boost optimal performance, analyze damage costs, and repair equipment parts with the assistance of other mechanical staff. They work closely with the management, create maintenance reports, and suggesting resolutions to avoid delays in production and customer service.

Construction equipment mechanic vs heavy equipment mechanic salary

Construction equipment mechanics and heavy equipment mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Construction Equipment Mechanic	Heavy Equipment Mechanic
Average salary	$45,161	$49,018
Salary range	Between $32,000 And $63,000	Between $36,000 And $65,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	Oakland, CA
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	Vermont
Best paying company	City of Los Angeles	BNSF Railway
Best paying industry	Transportation	Transportation

Differences between construction equipment mechanic and heavy equipment mechanic education

There are a few differences between a construction equipment mechanic and a heavy equipment mechanic in terms of educational background:

	Construction Equipment Mechanic	Heavy Equipment Mechanic
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 40%	High School Diploma, 39%
Most common major	Automotive Technology	Automotive Technology
Most common college	-	-

Construction equipment mechanic vs heavy equipment mechanic demographics

Here are the differences between construction equipment mechanics' and heavy equipment mechanics' demographics:

	Construction Equipment Mechanic	Heavy Equipment Mechanic
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 92.7% Female, 7.3%	Male, 96.6% Female, 3.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 5.4% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 14.9% Asian, 1.7% White, 73.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 5.2% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 1.7% White, 72.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	1%	1%

Differences between construction equipment mechanic and heavy equipment mechanic duties and responsibilities

Construction equipment mechanic example responsibilities.

Maintain and manage shop for parts, supplies and priority in jobs and cleanliness.
Work with cranes, scrapers, trench-digging machines, forklifts, bucket loaders, and bulldozers.
Perform preventive maintenance on heavy construction equipment, heavy lift fork loaders and power generation equipment for the DOL installation.
Work on construction equipment such as D9 bulldozers, seven and a half and twenty ton cranes, and earth scrapers.
Pave and maintain concrete and asphalt roads, runways, etc.
Perform asphalt and concrete cement street work, and electrical conduit construction.

Heavy equipment mechanic example responsibilities.

Maintain and manage shop for parts, supplies and priority in jobs and cleanliness.
Operate grinders, vises, jacks, cranes, drill presses, pallet lifts, wheel lifts, and solvent tank.
Perform corrosion control and painting procedures on equipment using grinders, sanders, respirators and paint guns.
Fix and maintain all types of heavy equipment such as backhoe, excavator, bull dozer and grader.
Analyze and diagnose problems, troubleshoot electrical systems and their mechanical components.
Perform queries into competitor technology to maintain ability to perform accurate diagnosis on equipment not produce by caterpillar.

Construction equipment mechanic vs heavy equipment mechanic skills

Common construction equipment mechanic skills

Hand Tools, 14%
Diesel Engines, 7%
Loaders, 7%
Cranes, 7%
End Loaders, 7%
Graders, 5%

Common heavy equipment mechanic skills

CDL, 8%
Hand Tools, 7%
Loaders, 6%
Cranes, 6%
Electrical Systems, 4%
End Loaders, 4%

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Construction Equipment Mechanic vs Heavy Equipment Mechanic

Updated January 8, 2025

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