Junior mechanic vs senior mechanic

The differences between junior mechanics and senior mechanics can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a junior mechanic, becoming a senior mechanic takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a senior mechanic has an average salary of $51,569, which is higher than the $39,809 average annual salary of a junior mechanic.

The top three skills for a junior mechanic include hand tools, electrical systems and OSHA. The most important skills for a senior mechanic are hand tools, preventive maintenance, and HVAC.

Junior mechanic vs senior mechanic overview

	Junior Mechanic	Senior Mechanic
Yearly salary	$39,809	$51,569
Hourly rate	$19.14	$24.79
Growth rate	4%	5%
Number of jobs	44,920	85,706
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 40%	Associate Degree, 31%
Average age	42	49
Years of experience	2	4

Junior mechanic vs senior mechanic salary

Junior mechanics and senior mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Junior Mechanic	Senior Mechanic
Average salary	$39,809	$51,569
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $55,000	Between $37,000 And $70,000
Highest paying City	Fremont, CA	Roseville, CA
Highest paying state	Alaska	Alaska
Best paying company	WestRock	Orange County Sanitation District
Best paying industry	Construction	Energy

Differences between junior mechanic and senior mechanic education

There are a few differences between a junior mechanic and a senior mechanic in terms of educational background:

	Junior Mechanic	Senior Mechanic
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 40%	Associate Degree, 31%
Most common major	Electrical Engineering Technology	Automotive Technology
Most common college	-	SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Junior mechanic vs senior mechanic demographics

Here are the differences between junior mechanics' and senior mechanics' demographics:

	Junior Mechanic	Senior Mechanic
Average age	42	49
Gender ratio	Male, 96.6% Female, 3.4%	Male, 96.0% Female, 4.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.3% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 20.0% Asian, 2.3% White, 64.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%	Black or African American, 8.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 2.1% White, 68.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage	2%	4%

Differences between junior mechanic and senior mechanic duties and responsibilities

Junior mechanic example responsibilities.

Maintain and manage shop for parts, supplies and priority in jobs and cleanliness.
Assist technicians in the installation and repair HVAC system units, including electronic and mechanical components.
Measure, cut, thread and bond pipes and tubing to feeding water, gas or refrigerant to various HVAC equipment.
Document repairs, modifications and inspections in accordance with FAA requirements on both paper and in an automate maintenance information database.
Document repairs, modifications and inspections in accordance with FAA requirements on both paper and in an automate maintenance information database.

Senior mechanic example responsibilities.

Create and manage preventive and predictive routes using Maximo CMMS database.
Perform technical inspections on vehicle armor, corrective maintenance, and services (PMCS )
Test coolant conditions, inspects wires and repair if damage, replace wire harness, troubleshoot faulty electrical components.
Support GMP manufacturing and team with QA.
Replace electrical switches, lights and outlets.
Use table top grinders and tools for assembly.

Junior mechanic vs senior mechanic skills

Common junior mechanic skills

Hand Tools, 20%
Electrical Systems, 11%
OSHA, 10%
Ladders, 7%
Light Fixtures, 6%
Preventive Maintenance, 5%

Common senior mechanic skills

Hand Tools, 10%
Preventive Maintenance, 7%
HVAC, 6%
Plumbing, 5%
Diesel Engines, 5%
Shop Safety, 4%

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Junior Mechanic vs Senior Mechanic

Updated January 8, 2025

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