Deck mechanic vs rig mechanic

The differences between deck mechanics and rig mechanics can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a deck mechanic and a rig mechanic. Additionally, a deck mechanic has an average salary of $45,084, which is higher than the $44,088 average annual salary of a rig mechanic.

The top three skills for a deck mechanic include cranes, deck hand and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a rig mechanic are hand tools, troubleshoot, and mechanical equipment.

Deck mechanic vs rig mechanic overview

	Deck Mechanic	Rig Mechanic
Yearly salary	$45,084	$44,088
Hourly rate	$21.68	$21.20
Growth rate	14%	14%
Number of jobs	33,739	89,556
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 50%	High School Diploma, 28%
Average age	48	48
Years of experience	2	2

Deck mechanic vs rig mechanic salary

Deck mechanics and rig mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Deck Mechanic	Rig Mechanic
Average salary	$45,084	$44,088
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $68,000	Between $29,000 And $66,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between deck mechanic and rig mechanic education

There are a few differences between a deck mechanic and a rig mechanic in terms of educational background:

	Deck Mechanic	Rig Mechanic
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 50%	High School Diploma, 28%
Most common major	Business	Automotive Technology
Most common college	-	-

Deck mechanic vs rig mechanic demographics

Here are the differences between deck mechanics' and rig mechanics' demographics:

	Deck Mechanic	Rig Mechanic
Average age	48	48
Gender ratio	Male, 97.4% Female, 2.6%	Male, 96.3% Female, 3.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 2.9% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 8.3% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 3.4% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	2%	2%

Differences between deck mechanic and rig mechanic duties and responsibilities

Deck mechanic example responsibilities.

Maintain and operate winches, anchor windless, shipboard cranes and tuggers, lifeboats and fast rescue craft.
Document repairs, modifications and inspections in accordance with FAA requirements on both paper and in an automate maintenance information database.
Gas turbine (LM2500) power plant maintenance and all sub systems.

Rig mechanic example responsibilities.

Document repairs, modifications and inspections in accordance with FAA requirements on both paper and in an automate maintenance information database.
Document repairs, modifications and inspections in accordance with FAA requirements on both paper and in an automate maintenance information database.

Deck mechanic vs rig mechanic skills

Common deck mechanic skills

Cranes, 44%
Deck Hand, 34%
Troubleshoot, 22%

Common rig mechanic skills

Hand Tools, 13%
Troubleshoot, 12%
Mechanical Equipment, 10%
Cranes, 9%
Preventive Maintenance, 7%
Mud Pumps, 6%

Deck Mechanic vs. similar jobs

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Installation, Maintenance and Repair Industry
Deck Mechanic
Deck Mechanic vs Rig Mechanic

Updated January 8, 2025

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