Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between heavy equipment mechanics and fleet mechanics can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a heavy equipment mechanic, becoming a fleet mechanic takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a fleet mechanic has an average salary of $50,065, which is higher than the $49,018 average annual salary of a heavy equipment mechanic.
The top three skills for a heavy equipment mechanic include CDL, hand tools and loaders. The most important skills for a fleet mechanic are CDL, DOT, and diagnosis.
| Heavy Equipment Mechanic | Fleet Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $49,018 | $50,065 |
| Hourly rate | $23.57 | $24.07 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 98,464 | 90,785 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 39% | Associate Degree, 35% |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
A heavy equipment mechanic is responsible for operating the heavy machinery used in the production of various industries, inspecting inconsistencies, running diagnostic tests, and replacing defective components to ensure its operational safety and efficiency. Heavy equipment mechanics also upgrade engine systems to boost optimal performance, analyze damage costs, and repair equipment parts with the assistance of other mechanical staff. They work closely with the management, create maintenance reports, and suggesting resolutions to avoid delays in production and customer service.
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 equipment mechanics and fleet mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Heavy Equipment Mechanic | Fleet Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $49,018 | $50,065 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $65,000 | Between $37,000 And $66,000 |
| Highest paying City | Oakland, CA | Sacramento, CA |
| Highest paying state | Vermont | California |
| Best paying company | BNSF Railway | OGE Energy |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Construction |
There are a few differences between a heavy equipment mechanic and a fleet mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Heavy Equipment Mechanic | Fleet Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 39% | Associate Degree, 35% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between heavy equipment mechanics' and fleet mechanics' demographics:
| Heavy Equipment Mechanic | Fleet Mechanic | |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.6% Female, 3.4% | Male, 97.9% Female, 2.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.2% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 1.7% White, 72.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 1% | 2% |