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The differences between maintenance helpers and general maintenance mechanics can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a maintenance helper and a general maintenance mechanic. Additionally, a general maintenance mechanic has an average salary of $37,631, which is higher than the $30,824 average annual salary of a maintenance helper.
The top three skills for a maintenance helper include hand tools, plumbing and ladders. The most important skills for a general maintenance mechanic are plumbing, HVAC, and customer service.
| Maintenance Helper | General Maintenance Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $30,824 | $37,631 |
| Hourly rate | $14.82 | $18.09 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 105,592 | 167,937 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 47% | High School Diploma, 46% |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A maintenance helper performs basic support tasks to assist maintenance technicians in installing and repairing machines and equipment. Their responsibilities typically include gathering and handing tools, changing fixtures such as light bulbs and faucets, preparing workspaces, and cleaning work areas and equipment. They may also liaise with vendors or suppliers, build positive relationships with clients, and handle calls and correspondence. Moreover, maintenance helper must utilize their experiences to learn more complex tasks and gain industry insight.
A general maintenance mechanic is responsible for ensuring the cleanliness and orderliness of the facilities and inspecting the condition and performance of the equipment and machinery for business operations and processes. General maintenance mechanics handle equipment repairs and replacement of defective components, requiring them to have extensive knowledge of the mechanical industry. They also install and assemble equipment by analyzing mechanical schematics and blueprints accurately. A general maintenance mechanic creates a comprehensive schedule of inspection, repairs, and quality control checks to preserve the safe standards of the premises.
Maintenance helpers and general maintenance mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Maintenance Helper | General Maintenance Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $30,824 | $37,631 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $40,000 | Between $27,000 And $51,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fairbanks, AK | Santa Clara, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Analogic | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a maintenance helper and a general maintenance mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Maintenance Helper | General Maintenance Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 47% | High School Diploma, 46% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between maintenance helpers' and general maintenance mechanics' demographics:
| Maintenance Helper | General Maintenance Mechanic | |
| Average age | 47 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.5% Female, 10.5% | Male, 93.6% Female, 6.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.0% Asian, 4.5% White, 59.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 4.5% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |