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The differences between heavy duty mechanics and trailer 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 heavy duty mechanic and a trailer mechanic. Additionally, a heavy duty mechanic has an average salary of $49,563, which is higher than the $42,569 average annual salary of a trailer mechanic.
The top three skills for a heavy duty mechanic include CDL, hand tools and preventive maintenance. The most important skills for a trailer mechanic are CDL, hand tools, and work ethic.
| Heavy Duty Mechanic | Trailer Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $49,563 | $42,569 |
| Hourly rate | $23.83 | $20.47 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 51,609 | 86,057 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 39% | High School Diploma, 52% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
A trailer mechanic specializes in providing repair services on large vehicles such as trailers, semi-trucks, and tractors. Their responsibilities revolve around liaising with clients to identify their needs, inspecting machinery and electrical systems, diagnosing issues, conducting fixes and replacements, and explaining the extent of damage or repairs to clients. There are also instances where they must devise testing strategies, ensuring compliance with the government's policies. Furthermore, a trailer mechanic must maintain regular maintenance checks on vehicles to ensure the safety of operators and the efficiency of workflow.
Heavy duty mechanics and trailer mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Heavy Duty Mechanic | Trailer Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $49,563 | $42,569 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $66,000 | Between $32,000 And $55,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Billerica, MA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Granite Construction | Dayton Freight |
| Best paying industry | Construction | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a heavy duty mechanic and a trailer mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Heavy Duty Mechanic | Trailer Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 39% | High School Diploma, 52% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between heavy duty mechanics' and trailer mechanics' demographics:
| Heavy Duty Mechanic | Trailer Mechanic | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 95.8% Female, 4.2% | Male, 98.0% Female, 2.0% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.3% Asian, 2.5% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |