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The differences between diesel mechanics and welders 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 mechanic, becoming a welder takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a diesel mechanic has an average salary of $49,842, which is higher than the $39,696 average annual salary of a welder.
The top three skills for a diesel mechanic include CDL, preventative maintenance and DOT. The most important skills for a welder are arc welding, aluminum, and hand tools.
| Diesel Mechanic | Welder | |
| Yearly salary | $49,842 | $39,696 |
| Hourly rate | $23.96 | $19.08 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 85,684 | 9,463 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 4.25 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 42% | High School Diploma, 46% |
| Average age | 42 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
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.
Welders are skilled workers who primarily work on metals and other metalworks. One of the most commonly known activities that welders do is fusing materials that are made of metal. They usually work on buildings, large pipes, and cars. They also fix holes or any other imperfection on metal materials. They do these by applying heat using welding torches or any other special tools that they have. Welders are also responsible for studying blueprints related to the items they will work on, ensuring that all needed materials are available, practicing occupational safety and health protocols, and maintaining the welding tools they use.
Diesel mechanics and welders have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Diesel Mechanic | Welder | |
| Average salary | $49,842 | $39,696 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $67,000 | Between $29,000 And $54,000 |
| Highest paying City | Richmond, CA | Woburn, MA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Hensel Phelps | California Resources |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a diesel mechanic and a welder in terms of educational background:
| Diesel Mechanic | Welder | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 42% | High School Diploma, 46% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Precision Metal Working |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between diesel mechanics' and welders' demographics:
| Diesel Mechanic | Welder | |
| Average age | 42 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.3% Female, 3.7% | Male, 93.9% Female, 6.1% |
| 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, 10.0% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 3.0% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 3% |