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The differences between diesel mechanics and light wheel 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 diesel mechanic and a light wheel mechanic. Additionally, a diesel mechanic has an average salary of $49,842, which is higher than the $41,948 average annual salary of a light wheel mechanic.
The top three skills for a diesel mechanic include CDL, preventative maintenance and DOT. The most important skills for a light wheel mechanic are mechanical problems, electrical systems, and equipment systems.
| Diesel Mechanic | Light Wheel Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $49,842 | $41,948 |
| Hourly rate | $23.96 | $20.17 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 85,684 | 90,297 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 42% | High School Diploma, 41% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A diesel mechanic is a skilled technician responsible for the checking, maintenance, and repair of diesel engines. Diesel mechanics duties also include regular inspections of vehicles upon customer's request to ensure the smooth performance of the machine, communicate on any system issue that might cause malfunctions, and provide any replacement to renovate a damaged part of the engine. A diesel mechanic must be highly-knowledgeable on everything related to diesel engines to provide the best, long-term solutions for the customers.
A light wheel mechanic is responsible for maintaining the optimal performance and efficiency of light-wheeled vehicles used for industrial operations, especially in a military setting. Light wheel mechanics inspect the condition of the vehicle's engine, perform preventive maintenance, replace defective components, assemble upgrade systems based on schematics and blueprints, and create resolution reports for reference. They must have excellent knowledge of the auto-mechanic industry to determine faults and identify repairs, avoiding delays, complications, and hazards during operations.
Diesel mechanics and light wheel mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Diesel Mechanic | Light Wheel Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $49,842 | $41,948 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $67,000 | Between $25,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | Richmond, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | - |
| Best paying company | Hensel Phelps | - |
| Best paying industry | Energy | - |
There are a few differences between a diesel mechanic and a light wheel mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Diesel Mechanic | Light Wheel Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 42% | High School Diploma, 41% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between diesel mechanics' and light wheel mechanics' demographics:
| Diesel Mechanic | Light Wheel Mechanic | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.3% Female, 3.7% | Male, 87.4% Female, 12.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.1% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 2.4% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 2.5% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |