Diesel engine mechanic vs heavy equipment mechanic

The differences between diesel engine mechanics and heavy equipment mechanics can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a diesel engine mechanic, becoming a heavy equipment mechanic takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a diesel engine mechanic has an average salary of $49,463, which is higher than the $49,018 average annual salary of a heavy equipment mechanic.

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

Diesel engine mechanic vs heavy equipment mechanic overview

	Diesel Engine Mechanic	Heavy Equipment Mechanic
Yearly salary	$49,463	$49,018
Hourly rate	$23.78	$23.57
Growth rate	4%	8%
Number of jobs	87,152	98,464
Job satisfaction	4	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 38%	High School Diploma, 39%
Average age	42	44
Years of experience	2	4

Diesel engine mechanic vs heavy equipment mechanic salary

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

	Diesel Engine Mechanic	Heavy Equipment Mechanic
Average salary	$49,463	$49,018
Salary range	Between $36,000 And $66,000	Between $36,000 And $65,000
Highest paying City	-	Oakland, CA
Highest paying state	-	Vermont
Best paying company	-	BNSF Railway
Best paying industry	-	Transportation

Differences between diesel engine mechanic and heavy equipment mechanic education

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

	Diesel Engine Mechanic	Heavy Equipment Mechanic
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 38%	High School Diploma, 39%
Most common major	Automotive Technology	Automotive Technology
Most common college	-	-

Diesel engine mechanic vs heavy equipment mechanic demographics

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

	Diesel Engine Mechanic	Heavy Equipment Mechanic
Average age	42	44
Gender ratio	Male, 93.5% Female, 6.5%	Male, 96.6% Female, 3.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.2% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 2.4% White, 64.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%	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	2%	1%

Differences between diesel engine mechanic and heavy equipment mechanic duties and responsibilities

Diesel engine mechanic example responsibilities.

Document repairs, modifications and inspections in accordance with FAA requirements on both paper and in an automate maintenance information database.
Perform complete overhauls on transmissions, steering units, repair or remove and replace in diesel trucks and marine environments.

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.

Diesel engine mechanic vs heavy equipment mechanic skills

Common diesel engine mechanic skills

Troubleshoot, 14%
Hand Tools, 14%
Cranes, 9%
Diagnosis, 7%
Safety Procedures, 6%
Safety Devices, 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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Diesel Engine Mechanic
Diesel Engine Mechanic vs Heavy Equipment Mechanic

Updated January 8, 2025

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