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The differences between industrial 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 an industrial mechanic and a heavy duty mechanic. Additionally, an industrial mechanic has an average salary of $53,333, which is higher than the $49,563 average annual salary of a heavy duty mechanic.
The top three skills for an industrial mechanic include industrial maintenance, hand tools and PLC. The most important skills for a heavy duty mechanic are CDL, hand tools, and preventive maintenance.
| Industrial Mechanic | Heavy Duty Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $53,333 | $49,563 |
| Hourly rate | $25.64 | $23.83 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 158,560 | 51,609 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 35% | High School Diploma, 39% |
| Average age | 48 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
An industrial mechanic maintains and repairs equipment and any other industrial types of machinery in a factory. Industrial mechanics manage the operation of machinery like production machinery, packaging equipment, and conveying systems. They need to use protective equipment like safety glasses and hardhats as well as follow safety precautions during operations. It is their responsibility to make sure that all industrial machines function well through preventive maintenance service and troubleshooting.
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.
Industrial mechanics and heavy duty mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Industrial Mechanic | Heavy Duty Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $53,333 | $49,563 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $72,000 | Between $36,000 And $66,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fremont, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | West Virginia | Washington |
| Best paying company | California Resources | Granite Construction |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | Construction |
There are a few differences between an industrial mechanic and a heavy duty mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Industrial Mechanic | Heavy Duty Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 35% | High School Diploma, 39% |
| Most common major | Industrial Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between industrial mechanics' and heavy duty mechanics' demographics:
| Industrial Mechanic | Heavy Duty Mechanic | |
| Average age | 48 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.6% Female, 3.4% | Male, 95.8% Female, 4.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 3.3% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | 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% |