Mechanist vs tool technician

The differences between mechanists and tool technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a mechanist, becoming a tool technician takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a tool technician has an average salary of $42,908, which is higher than the $36,562 average annual salary of a mechanist.

The top three skills for a mechanist include pump equipment, operate cnc and cnc machines. The most important skills for a tool technician are grinders, hand tools, and CNC.

Mechanist vs tool technician overview

	Mechanist	Tool Technician
Yearly salary	$36,562	$42,908
Hourly rate	$17.58	$20.63
Growth rate	1%	1%
Number of jobs	3,746	78,258
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 50%	High School Diploma, 33%
Average age	48	54
Years of experience	4	6

Mechanist vs tool technician salary

Mechanists and tool technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Mechanist	Tool Technician
Average salary	$36,562	$42,908
Salary range	Between $25,000 And $52,000	Between $29,000 And $61,000
Highest paying City	-	Fort Wayne, IN
Highest paying state	-	Indiana
Best paying company	-	Rivian
Best paying industry	-	Energy

Differences between mechanist and tool technician education

There are a few differences between a mechanist and a tool technician in terms of educational background:

	Mechanist	Tool Technician
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 50%	High School Diploma, 33%
Most common major	Automotive Technology	Business
Most common college	-	-

Mechanist vs tool technician demographics

Here are the differences between mechanists' and tool technicians' demographics:

	Mechanist	Tool Technician
Average age	48	54
Gender ratio	Male, 94.4% Female, 5.6%	Male, 92.0% Female, 8.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 4.0% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 6.4% White, 70.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 2.4% Unknown, 2.8% Hispanic or Latino, 6.5% Asian, 2.7% White, 84.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	3%	3%

Differences between mechanist and tool technician duties and responsibilities

Mechanist example responsibilities.

Calculate dimensions and tolerances using knowledge of mathematics and instruments such as micrometers and vernier calipers.
Appraise and diagnose problems with locomotives.
Service and overhaul locomotives as required.

Tool technician example responsibilities.

Use specialize tools and machinery (CNC milling machine, manual lathe, manual milling machine and surface grinders . )
Program and operate wire EDM machine, milling machines, drill presses, surface grinders, lathes and jig grinders.
Perform mig, tig, and stick welds.
Skil welder utilizing TIG, MIG and stick welding processes.
Work on and troubleshoot the press machinery using calipers, micrometers and other precision tools.
Learned to use a TIG welder . )

Mechanist vs tool technician skills

Common mechanist skills

Pump Equipment, 28%
Operate CNC, 26%
CNC Machines, 14%
Diesel Engines, 13%
Drill Press, 10%
RAN, 10%

Common tool technician skills

Grinders, 11%
Hand Tools, 10%
CNC, 9%
Calipers, 7%
Micrometers, 6%
Jigs, 6%