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The differences between mechanic's assistants 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's assistant and a fleet mechanic. Additionally, a fleet mechanic has an average salary of $50,065, 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 fleet mechanic are CDL, DOT, and diagnosis.
| Mechanic's Assistant | Fleet Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $41,533 | $50,065 |
| Hourly rate | $19.97 | $24.07 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 40,249 | 90,785 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 41% | Associate Degree, 35% |
| 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.
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's assistants and fleet mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mechanic's Assistant | Fleet Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $41,533 | $50,065 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $63,000 | Between $37,000 And $66,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | Sacramento, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | California |
| Best paying company | ASRC Federal | OGE Energy |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Construction |
There are a few differences between a mechanic's assistant and a fleet mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Mechanic's Assistant | Fleet Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 41% | Associate Degree, 35% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between mechanic's assistants' and fleet mechanics' demographics:
| Mechanic's Assistant | Fleet Mechanic | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.2% Female, 6.8% | Male, 97.9% Female, 2.1% |
| 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, 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% |