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The differences between mechanic helpers and trailer 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 trailer mechanic. Additionally, a trailer mechanic has an average salary of $42,569, 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 trailer mechanic are CDL, hand tools, and work ethic.
| Mechanic Helper | Trailer Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $31,892 | $42,569 |
| Hourly rate | $15.33 | $20.47 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 48,546 | 86,057 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 53% | High School Diploma, 52% |
| 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 trailer mechanic specializes in providing repair services on large vehicles such as trailers, semi-trucks, and tractors. Their responsibilities revolve around liaising with clients to identify their needs, inspecting machinery and electrical systems, diagnosing issues, conducting fixes and replacements, and explaining the extent of damage or repairs to clients. There are also instances where they must devise testing strategies, ensuring compliance with the government's policies. Furthermore, a trailer mechanic must maintain regular maintenance checks on vehicles to ensure the safety of operators and the efficiency of workflow.
Mechanic helpers and trailer mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mechanic Helper | Trailer Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $31,892 | $42,569 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $41,000 | Between $32,000 And $55,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sacramento, CA | Billerica, MA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Sierra Pacific Industries | Dayton Freight |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a mechanic helper and a trailer mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Mechanic Helper | Trailer Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 53% | High School Diploma, 52% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between mechanic helpers' and trailer mechanics' demographics:
| Mechanic Helper | Trailer Mechanic | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.4% Female, 5.6% | Male, 98.0% Female, 2.0% |
| 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, 9.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.3% Asian, 2.5% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |