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The differences between diesel mechanic apprentices and auto 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 diesel mechanic apprentice and an auto technician. Additionally, a diesel mechanic apprentice has an average salary of $46,455, which is higher than the $41,435 average annual salary of an auto technician.
The top three skills for a diesel mechanic apprentice include CDL, hand tools and electrical systems. The most important skills for an auto technician are taking care, preventive maintenance, and customer vehicles.
| Diesel Mechanic Apprentice | Auto Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $46,455 | $41,435 |
| Hourly rate | $22.33 | $19.92 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 94,402 | 131,515 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 2 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 40% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Average age | 42 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A diesel mechanic apprentice works under the directives and supervision of a diesel mechanic. They primarily perform support tasks to assist diesel mechanics in repairing vehicles that use diesel engines and gain practical experience and insights along the way. Their duties usually include setting-up work areas, preparing tools and equipment, gathering and organizing work orders and other documentation, monitoring supply inventories, purchasing orders according to guidelines, and performing basic repairs and tests. Moreover, a diesel mechanic apprentice must keep an open and transparent line of communication with co-workers for an efficient workflow.
An auto technician specializes in performing inspections, repairs, and maintenance on different automotive vehicles ranging from small cars to light trucks. Their responsibilities revolve around identifying issues using various diagnostic tools to determine which course of action to take, discussing the extent of repairs to clients, and ordering car parts from suppliers. There are also instances when an auto technician may have the task of maintaining the cleanliness of the workplace, or participate in record-keeping and monitoring the inventory.
Diesel mechanic apprentices and auto technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Diesel Mechanic Apprentice | Auto Technician | |
| Average salary | $46,455 | $41,435 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $60,000 | Between $28,000 And $59,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Sterling, VA |
| Highest paying state | - | Washington |
| Best paying company | - | Deloitte |
| Best paying industry | - | Retail |
There are a few differences between a diesel mechanic apprentice and an auto technician in terms of educational background:
| Diesel Mechanic Apprentice | Auto Technician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 40% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between diesel mechanic apprentices' and auto technicians' demographics:
| Diesel Mechanic Apprentice | Auto Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.7% Female, 4.3% | Male, 95.1% Female, 4.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.3% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 20.0% Asian, 2.3% White, 64.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.5% Asian, 5.0% White, 60.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |