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The differences between lube technicians and light wheel 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 lube technician and a light wheel mechanic. Additionally, a light wheel mechanic has an average salary of $41,948, which is higher than the $29,959 average annual salary of a lube technician.
The top three skills for a lube technician include work ethic, customer service and hand tools. The most important skills for a light wheel mechanic are mechanical problems, electrical systems, and equipment systems.
| Lube Technician | Light Wheel Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $29,959 | $41,948 |
| Hourly rate | $14.40 | $20.17 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 131,008 | 90,297 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.5 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 53% | High School Diploma, 41% |
| Average age | 40 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A Lube Technician specializes in automotive repairs and maintenance, focusing on lubricating particular engine parts. However, Lube Technicians can also conduct necessary inspection and maintenance of vehicles, change oil or filter, replace parts such as engines and batteries, and perform tire changes or inflation. A Lube Technician usually works as a member of a team or company, so it is essential to have efficient communication, coordination, attention to detail, and build rapport with clients to establish a client-base.
A light wheel mechanic is responsible for maintaining the optimal performance and efficiency of light-wheeled vehicles used for industrial operations, especially in a military setting. Light wheel mechanics inspect the condition of the vehicle's engine, perform preventive maintenance, replace defective components, assemble upgrade systems based on schematics and blueprints, and create resolution reports for reference. They must have excellent knowledge of the auto-mechanic industry to determine faults and identify repairs, avoiding delays, complications, and hazards during operations.
Lube technicians and light wheel mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lube Technician | Light Wheel Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $29,959 | $41,948 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $37,000 | Between $25,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | Denver, CO | - |
| Highest paying state | Washington | - |
| Best paying company | Martin Marietta | - |
| Best paying industry | Retail | - |
There are a few differences between a lube technician and a light wheel mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Lube Technician | Light Wheel Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 53% | High School Diploma, 41% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between lube technicians' and light wheel mechanics' demographics:
| Lube Technician | Light Wheel Mechanic | |
| Average age | 40 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.7% Female, 6.3% | Male, 87.4% Female, 12.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 20.4% Asian, 5.4% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 2.5% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |