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The differences between mechanic helpers and industrial 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 an industrial mechanic. Additionally, an industrial mechanic has an average salary of $53,333, 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 an industrial mechanic are industrial maintenance, hand tools, and PLC.
| Mechanic Helper | Industrial Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $31,892 | $53,333 |
| Hourly rate | $15.33 | $25.64 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 48,546 | 158,560 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 53% | Associate Degree, 35% |
| Average age | 42 | 48 |
| 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.
An industrial mechanic maintains and repairs equipment and any other industrial types of machinery in a factory. Industrial mechanics manage the operation of machinery like production machinery, packaging equipment, and conveying systems. They need to use protective equipment like safety glasses and hardhats as well as follow safety precautions during operations. It is their responsibility to make sure that all industrial machines function well through preventive maintenance service and troubleshooting.
Mechanic helpers and industrial mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mechanic Helper | Industrial Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $31,892 | $53,333 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $41,000 | Between $39,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sacramento, CA | Fremont, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | West Virginia |
| Best paying company | Sierra Pacific Industries | California Resources |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a mechanic helper and an industrial mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Mechanic Helper | Industrial Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 53% | Associate Degree, 35% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Industrial Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between mechanic helpers' and industrial mechanics' demographics:
| Mechanic Helper | Industrial Mechanic | |
| Average age | 42 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.4% Female, 5.6% | Male, 96.6% Female, 3.4% |
| 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, 7.7% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 3.3% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |