Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between mechanic's assistants and field 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's assistant and a field mechanic. Additionally, a field mechanic has an average salary of $46,395, which is higher than the $41,533 average annual salary of a mechanic's assistant.
The top three skills for a mechanic's assistant include preventative maintenance, hand tools and OSHA. The most important skills for a field mechanic are CDL, construction equipment, and cranes.
| Mechanic's Assistant | Field Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $41,533 | $46,395 |
| Hourly rate | $19.97 | $22.31 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 40,249 | 135,482 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 41% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A mechanics assistant job involves assisting mechanics in operating, repairing, and refurbishing vehicles. Primarily, mechanics assistants work on the installation, repair, and replacement of an automobile's mechanical parts. They need to be knowledgeable of the processes and composition of automobiles. Also, they execute the opening and closing tasks in stores. The skillset for this position includes a strong work ethic, diagnostic skills, problem-solving, prior experience, customer service skills, and resourcefulness.
The primary job of a field mechanic is to manage on-site installation, maintenance, test, and repair tasks. Field mechanics diagnose technical problems or errors and identify the appropriate solutions. They deliver heavy equipment, facility maintenance, and load and unload equipment. They work on transmissions, electrical systems, hydraulics, engines, and welding repairs. Their duties involve service truck maintenance to keep service truck inventory. Also, they maintain enough materials and supplies on a service truck for common repairs.
Mechanic's assistants and field mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mechanic's Assistant | Field Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $41,533 | $46,395 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $63,000 | Between $33,000 And $63,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | New York | - |
| Best paying company | ASRC Federal | - |
| Best paying industry | Energy | - |
There are a few differences between a mechanic's assistant and a field mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Mechanic's Assistant | Field Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 41% | High School Diploma, 36% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between mechanic's assistants' and field mechanics' demographics:
| Mechanic's Assistant | Field Mechanic | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.2% Female, 6.8% | Male, 97.3% Female, 2.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.3% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 20.0% Asian, 2.3% White, 64.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 2.4% White, 64.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |