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The differences between mechanic helpers and fleet 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 fleet mechanic. Additionally, a fleet mechanic has an average salary of $50,065, 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 fleet mechanic are CDL, DOT, and diagnosis.
| Mechanic Helper | Fleet Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $31,892 | $50,065 |
| Hourly rate | $15.33 | $24.07 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 48,546 | 90,785 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 53% | Associate Degree, 35% |
| 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 fleet mechanic is responsible for inspecting and maintaining the safety and efficiency of vehicles for various industrial operations and services. Fleet mechanics conduct regular maintenance of the engines, repairing its malfunctioning components, and upgrading its system for optimal performance. They oversee the overall management of fleet operations, keeping an organized record of resolutions for reference to avoid reoccurrence of defects. A fleet mechanic coordinates with the fleet supervisor for necessary replacements of vehicles to avoid delays in operations and prevent potential hazards on the road.
Mechanic helpers and fleet mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mechanic Helper | Fleet Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $31,892 | $50,065 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $41,000 | Between $37,000 And $66,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Sierra Pacific Industries | OGE Energy |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Construction |
There are a few differences between a mechanic helper and a fleet mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Mechanic Helper | Fleet Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 53% | Associate Degree, 35% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between mechanic helpers' and fleet mechanics' demographics:
| Mechanic Helper | Fleet Mechanic | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.4% Female, 5.6% | Male, 97.9% Female, 2.1% |
| 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, 8.7% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 2.4% White, 64.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |