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The differences between equipment mechanics and auto technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an equipment mechanic, becoming an auto technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an equipment mechanic has an average salary of $45,435, which is higher than the $41,435 average annual salary of an auto technician.
The top three skills for an equipment mechanic include hand tools, preventive maintenance and CDL. The most important skills for an auto technician are taking care, preventive maintenance, and customer vehicles.
| Equipment Mechanic | Auto Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $45,435 | $41,435 |
| Hourly rate | $21.84 | $19.92 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 50,409 | 131,515 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 2 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 34% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
An equipment mechanic specializes in inspecting and repairing mechanical systems, ensuring quality and efficiency. They typically respond to issues and concerns, identify client needs, conduct inspections, and perform corrective measures and repairs as needed. An equipment mechanic may also liaise with clients, explaining to them the extent of repairs and provide cost-estimates. Furthermore, it is essential to perform regular maintenance checks to ensure its efficiency and safety of operators, all while building positive relationships with customers to strengthen the client base.
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.
Equipment mechanics and auto technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Equipment Mechanic | Auto Technician | |
| Average salary | $45,435 | $41,435 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $62,000 | Between $28,000 And $59,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Sterling, VA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | Hologic | Deloitte |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Retail |
There are a few differences between an equipment mechanic and an auto technician in terms of educational background:
| Equipment Mechanic | Auto Technician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 34% | High School Diploma, 38% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between equipment mechanics' and auto technicians' demographics:
| Equipment Mechanic | Auto Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.5% Female, 3.5% | Male, 95.1% Female, 4.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.7% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.8% Asian, 1.8% White, 72.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | 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 | 1% | 2% |