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The differences between mechanic's assistants 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's assistant and a trailer mechanic. Additionally, a trailer mechanic has an average salary of $42,569, 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 trailer mechanic are CDL, hand tools, and work ethic.
| Mechanic's Assistant | Trailer Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $41,533 | $42,569 |
| Hourly rate | $19.97 | $20.47 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 40,249 | 86,057 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 41% | High School Diploma, 52% |
| 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 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's assistants and trailer mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mechanic's Assistant | Trailer Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $41,533 | $42,569 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $63,000 | Between $32,000 And $55,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | Billerica, MA |
| Highest paying state | New York | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | ASRC Federal | Dayton Freight |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a mechanic's assistant and a trailer mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Mechanic's Assistant | Trailer Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 41% | High School Diploma, 52% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between mechanic's assistants' and trailer mechanics' demographics:
| Mechanic's Assistant | Trailer Mechanic | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 93.2% Female, 6.8% | Male, 98.0% Female, 2.0% |
| 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, 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% |