Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between mechanic's assistants and instrument technician apprentices can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a mechanic's assistant, becoming an instrument technician apprentice takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a mechanic's assistant has an average salary of $41,533, which is higher than the $39,849 average annual salary of an instrument technician apprentice.
The top three skills for a mechanic's assistant include preventative maintenance, hand tools and OSHA. The most important skills for an instrument technician apprentice are hand tools, customer satisfaction, and diagnosis.
| Mechanic's Assistant | Instrument Technician Apprentice | |
| Yearly salary | $41,533 | $39,849 |
| Hourly rate | $19.97 | $19.16 |
| Growth rate | 4% | - |
| Number of jobs | 40,249 | 130,235 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 41% | High School Diploma, 28% |
| Average age | 42 | 50 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
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.
An instrument technician apprentice is responsible for performing installation and repairs on various electrical equipment and instruments such as control panels and motors, all while under the supervision and directives of a senior or master technician. Typically, their tasks revolve around conducting regular maintenance checks, coordinating with other technicians, organizing supplies, operating electrical tools, and understanding various electronic principles. Furthermore, there are also instances where one may liaise with clients to discuss the extent of damage or repairs, building positive relationships in the process to secure a client base.
Mechanic's assistants and instrument technician apprentices have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mechanic's Assistant | Instrument Technician Apprentice | |
| Average salary | $41,533 | $39,849 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $63,000 | Between $27,000 And $57,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | Hayward, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | ASRC Federal | Accenture |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a mechanic's assistant and an instrument technician apprentice in terms of educational background:
| Mechanic's Assistant | Instrument Technician Apprentice | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 41% | High School Diploma, 28% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between mechanic's assistants' and instrument technician apprentices' demographics:
| Mechanic's Assistant | Instrument Technician Apprentice | |
| Average age | 42 | 50 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.2% Female, 6.8% | Male, 89.9% Female, 10.1% |
| 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, 6.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 8.0% White, 70.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 8% |