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The differences between mechanical technicians and shop technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a mechanical technician, becoming a shop technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a mechanical technician has an average salary of $51,367, which is higher than the $36,798 average annual salary of a shop technician.
The top three skills for a mechanical technician include preventive maintenance, hand tools and electro-mechanical. The most important skills for a shop technician are preventative maintenance, routine maintenance, and diagnosis.
| Mechanical Technician | Shop Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $51,367 | $36,798 |
| Hourly rate | $24.70 | $17.69 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 106,997 | 150,349 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 38% | High School Diploma, 30% |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
The primary job of mechanical technicians is to help mechanical engineers design, develop, test, and manufacture mechanical devices such as machines and engines. They typically do varied tasks, including evaluating design sketches for new and changing tools, discussing changes with colleagues, and reviewing blueprints and instructions for projects. As a mechanical technician, you are also responsible for estimating equipment life, plant space, and labor costs. To become successful in this role, you need to have an associate degree in mechanical engineering technology, excellent communication skills, and mechanical skills.
Shop Technicians are skilled workers assigned to a retail store. Their main activities depend on the nature of the business their company is in. Usually, Shop Technicians work with machines in the shop. They conduct repair and maintenance work for machines that have long been in the shop. They are also in charge of installing and building new machines as well. Shop Technicians are assigned to manage records of such machines or s other mechanical items in the store. This is part of the administrative activities they may do for the shop.
Mechanical technicians and shop technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Mechanical Technician | Shop Technician | |
| Average salary | $51,367 | $36,798 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $68,000 | Between $25,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | Oakland, CA | San Leandro, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Meta | Los Alamos National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Energy |
There are a few differences between a mechanical technician and a shop technician in terms of educational background:
| Mechanical Technician | Shop Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 38% | High School Diploma, 30% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | Purdue University | - |
Here are the differences between mechanical technicians' and shop technicians' demographics:
| Mechanical Technician | Shop Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 94.4% Female, 5.6% | Male, 91.9% Female, 8.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 7.8% White, 60.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 2.4% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 2% |