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The differences between general maintenance mechanics and mechanical contractors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a general maintenance mechanic, becoming a mechanical contractor takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a mechanical contractor has an average salary of $72,882, which is higher than the $37,631 average annual salary of a general maintenance mechanic.
The top three skills for a general maintenance mechanic include plumbing, HVAC and customer service. The most important skills for a mechanical contractor are plumbing, CAD, and preventive maintenance.
| General Maintenance Mechanic | Mechanical Contractor | |
| Yearly salary | $37,631 | $72,882 |
| Hourly rate | $18.09 | $35.04 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 167,937 | 28,897 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Average age | 47 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
General maintenance mechanics and mechanical contractors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| General Maintenance Mechanic | Mechanical Contractor | |
| Average salary | $37,631 | $72,882 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $51,000 | Between $53,000 And $100,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Clara, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | - |
| Best paying company | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center | - |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | - |
There are a few differences between a general maintenance mechanic and a mechanical contractor in terms of educational background:
| General Maintenance Mechanic | Mechanical Contractor | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Most common major | Business | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | - | Michigan Technological University |
Here are the differences between general maintenance mechanics' and mechanical contractors' demographics:
| General Maintenance Mechanic | Mechanical Contractor | |
| Average age | 47 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.6% Female, 6.4% | Male, 90.3% Female, 9.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 4.5% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 3.4% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 10.3% White, 72.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 5% |