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What is a front end mechanic and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
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A front-end mechanic is a skilled technician who can carry out general vehicle maintenance and repair with little or no supervision. A front-end mechanic arranges wheels, frames, and axles to make sure they are all aligned.

They also steer the mechanisms of automotive cars like automobiles, trucks, and buses. If you are one, you will need to straighten steering rods and axles while adjusting tie rods and shims and connecting pins to align wheels. These technicians sometimes install new parts, and they often do this using hand tools.

A typical front-end mechanic has a general education degree (GED) or a high school diploma. However, he/she or she can also find work if they have only 1-3 months of related experience or training, though you should have both. As for skills, front-end mechanics have to know how to read and write. Calculating skills and the ability to solve problems are both just as important. Front-end mechanics earn $47,168 a year or $23 an hour.

ScoreFront End MechanicUS Average
Salary
3.5

Avg. Salary $44,190

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.7

Growth rate 1%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
8.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.81%

Asian 5.01%

Black or African American 9.74%

Hispanic or Latino 20.85%

Unknown 4.24%

White 59.36%

Gender

female 47.09%

male 52.91%

Age - 39
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 39
Stress level
7.7

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.3

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
3.2

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Front end mechanic career paths

Key steps to become a front end mechanic

  1. Explore front end mechanic education requirements

    Most common front end mechanic degrees

    High School Diploma

    37.3 %

    Bachelor's

    29.1 %

    Associate

    18.9 %
  2. Start to develop specific front end mechanic skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Front End42.63%
    Service Desk11.32%
    JavaScript9.43%
    Groceries7.96%
    HTML5.66%
  3. Complete relevant front end mechanic training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New front end mechanics learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a front end mechanic based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real front end mechanic resumes.
  4. Research front end mechanic duties and responsibilities

    • Achieve traffic tracking and SEO with multiple satellite web sites.
    • Handle all cash, checks, and WIC.
    • Perform cash handling transactions through POS systems.
    • Assist Costco members throughout the warehouse to ensure customer satisfaction.
  5. Prepare your front end mechanic resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your front end mechanic resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a front end mechanic resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable front end mechanic resume templates

    Build a professional front end mechanic resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your front end mechanic resume.
    Front End Mechanic Resume
    Front End Mechanic Resume
    Front End Mechanic Resume
    Front End Mechanic Resume
    Front End Mechanic Resume
    Front End Mechanic Resume
    Front End Mechanic Resume
    Front End Mechanic Resume
    Front End Mechanic Resume
  6. Apply for front end mechanic jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a front end mechanic job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first front end mechanic job

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Average front end mechanic salary

The average front end mechanic salary in the United States is $44,190 per year or $21 per hour. Front end mechanic salaries range between $33,000 and $57,000 per year.

Average front end mechanic salary
$44,190 Yearly
$21.25 hourly

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How do front end mechanics rate their job?

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Front end mechanic reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2022
Pros

Hands on /weld/electric/mech/plumbing……


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A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2022
Pros

Satisfaction of fixing, repairing broken vehicles and challenge of finding problems and correcting them properly.

Cons

Electrical problems are my least favorite.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2019
Pros

just seeing myself fixing something making it work as new.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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