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The differences between mechanic helpers and diesel 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 mechanic helper and a diesel mechanic. Additionally, a diesel mechanic has an average salary of $49,842, which is higher than the $31,892 average annual salary of a mechanic helper.
The top three skills for a mechanic helper include hand tools, work ethic and preventive maintenance. The most important skills for a diesel mechanic are CDL, preventative maintenance, and DOT.
| Mechanic Helper | Diesel Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $31,892 | $49,842 |
| Hourly rate | $15.33 | $23.96 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 48,546 | 85,684 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 53% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
The job of a mechanic helper is to support lead mechanics and perform a variety of duties and responsibilities. You will be assisting in the maintenance of cars, such as changing tires and oils, replacing brakes, and diagnosing vehicle issues. In addition, you will be responsible for logging labor costs and inventory use and take vehicles for test drives. Other duties include replacing belts and hoses, assisting the lead mechanic in major projects, and repairing and maintaining cars.
A diesel mechanic is a skilled technician responsible for the checking, maintenance, and repair of diesel engines. Diesel mechanics duties also include regular inspections of vehicles upon customer's request to ensure the smooth performance of the machine, communicate on any system issue that might cause malfunctions, and provide any replacement to renovate a damaged part of the engine. A diesel mechanic must be highly-knowledgeable on everything related to diesel engines to provide the best, long-term solutions for the customers.
Mechanic helpers and diesel mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mechanic Helper | Diesel Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $31,892 | $49,842 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $41,000 | Between $37,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sacramento, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Sierra Pacific Industries | Hensel Phelps |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Energy |
There are a few differences between a mechanic helper and a diesel mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Mechanic Helper | Diesel Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 53% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between mechanic helpers' and diesel mechanics' demographics:
| Mechanic Helper | Diesel Mechanic | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.4% Female, 5.6% | Male, 96.3% Female, 3.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.3% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 20.2% Asian, 2.3% White, 64.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 8.1% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 2.4% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |