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The differences between fleet mechanics and heavy duty 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 fleet mechanic and a heavy duty mechanic. Additionally, a fleet mechanic has an average salary of $50,065, which is higher than the $49,563 average annual salary of a heavy duty mechanic.
The top three skills for a fleet mechanic include CDL, DOT and diagnosis. The most important skills for a heavy duty mechanic are CDL, hand tools, and preventive maintenance.
| Fleet Mechanic | Heavy Duty Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $50,065 | $49,563 |
| Hourly rate | $24.07 | $23.83 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 90,785 | 51,609 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 35% | High School Diploma, 39% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A fleet mechanic is responsible for inspecting and maintaining the safety and efficiency of vehicles for various industrial operations and services. Fleet mechanics conduct regular maintenance of the engines, repairing its malfunctioning components, and upgrading its system for optimal performance. They oversee the overall management of fleet operations, keeping an organized record of resolutions for reference to avoid reoccurrence of defects. A fleet mechanic coordinates with the fleet supervisor for necessary replacements of vehicles to avoid delays in operations and prevent potential hazards on the road.
Heavy-duty mechanics are skilled employees who are responsible for providing repairs and maintenance of mobile heavy-duty construction equipment. These mechanics must perform inspections on equipment such as bulldozers, cranes, and other heavy construction equipment to detect faults and malfunctions to ensure proper performance. They must test the repaired equipment to ensure that the repair works meet the specifications of the manufacturers. Heavy-duty mechanics must also provide a safe working environment and take special precautions to protect themselves against work-related injuries.
Fleet mechanics and heavy duty mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Fleet Mechanic | Heavy Duty Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $50,065 | $49,563 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $66,000 | Between $36,000 And $66,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sacramento, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Washington |
| Best paying company | OGE Energy | Granite Construction |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Construction |
There are a few differences between a fleet mechanic and a heavy duty mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Fleet Mechanic | Heavy Duty Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 35% | High School Diploma, 39% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between fleet mechanics' and heavy duty mechanics' demographics:
| Fleet Mechanic | Heavy Duty Mechanic | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 97.9% Female, 2.1% | Male, 95.8% Female, 4.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 2.4% White, 64.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 19.2% Asian, 2.4% White, 64.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |