Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between equipment mechanics and industrial mechanics 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 industrial mechanic takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an industrial mechanic has an average salary of $53,333, which is higher than the $45,435 average annual salary of an equipment mechanic.
The top three skills for an equipment mechanic include hand tools, preventive maintenance and CDL. The most important skills for an industrial mechanic are industrial maintenance, hand tools, and PLC.
| Equipment Mechanic | Industrial Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $45,435 | $53,333 |
| Hourly rate | $21.84 | $25.64 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 50,409 | 158,560 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 34% | Associate Degree, 35% |
| Average age | 44 | 48 |
| 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 industrial mechanic maintains and repairs equipment and any other industrial types of machinery in a factory. Industrial mechanics manage the operation of machinery like production machinery, packaging equipment, and conveying systems. They need to use protective equipment like safety glasses and hardhats as well as follow safety precautions during operations. It is their responsibility to make sure that all industrial machines function well through preventive maintenance service and troubleshooting.
Equipment mechanics and industrial mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Equipment Mechanic | Industrial Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $45,435 | $53,333 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $62,000 | Between $39,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Fremont, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | West Virginia |
| Best paying company | Hologic | California Resources |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Transportation |
There are a few differences between an equipment mechanic and an industrial mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Equipment Mechanic | Industrial Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 34% | Associate Degree, 35% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Industrial Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between equipment mechanics' and industrial mechanics' demographics:
| Equipment Mechanic | Industrial Mechanic | |
| Average age | 44 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.5% Female, 3.5% | Male, 96.6% Female, 3.4% |
| 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, 7.7% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 3.3% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 1% | 2% |