Motor mechanic vs wheel alignment mechanic

The differences between motor mechanics and wheel alignment 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 motor mechanic and a wheel alignment mechanic. Additionally, a wheel alignment mechanic has an average salary of $41,985, which is higher than the $37,800 average annual salary of a motor mechanic.

The top three skills for a motor mechanic include automotive vehicles, electric motors and mechanical equipment. The most important skills for a wheel alignment mechanic are electrical systems, troubleshoot, and preventive maintenance checks.

Motor mechanic vs wheel alignment mechanic overview

	Motor Mechanic	Wheel Alignment Mechanic
Yearly salary	$37,800	$41,985
Hourly rate	$18.17	$20.19
Growth rate	4%	1%
Number of jobs	34,925	34,558
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 39%	High School Diploma, 40%
Average age	42	40
Years of experience	2	2

Motor mechanic vs wheel alignment mechanic salary

Motor mechanics and wheel alignment mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Motor Mechanic	Wheel Alignment Mechanic
Average salary	$37,800	$41,985
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $52,000	Between $26,000 And $67,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between motor mechanic and wheel alignment mechanic education

There are a few differences between a motor mechanic and a wheel alignment mechanic in terms of educational background:

	Motor Mechanic	Wheel Alignment Mechanic
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 39%	High School Diploma, 40%
Most common major	Automotive Technology	Automotive Technology
Most common college	-	-

Motor mechanic vs wheel alignment mechanic demographics

Here are the differences between motor mechanics' and wheel alignment mechanics' demographics:

	Motor Mechanic	Wheel Alignment Mechanic
Average age	42	40
Gender ratio	Male, 96.4% Female, 3.6%	Male, 92.3% Female, 7.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 2.4% White, 64.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%	Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 21.1% Asian, 5.1% White, 58.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	2%	2%

Differences between motor mechanic and wheel alignment mechanic duties and responsibilities

Motor mechanic example responsibilities.

Rewire and maintain all components on boats.
Repair and service blowers, weed eaters, and chainsaws.
Perform minor and major diagnosis and repair on transmission control systems.
Perform all maintenance and rebuilds on BMW and Renault vehicles, complete theoretical and practical portion of apprenticeship.
Disassemble, inspect, clean, repair, test, and reassemble basic and routine DC electromechanical motors and equipment.
Train mechanics on basic and advance preventative maintenance techniques as well as effective vehicle diagnosis.

Wheel alignment mechanic example responsibilities.

Service and repair for Porsche, Audi, and Volkswagen automobiles.
Raise trucks, vehicles, and heavy parts or equipment using hydraulic jacks or hoists.
Work in there fleet department repairing and diagnosis on all emergency apparatuses and ambulances and police vehicles also include maintenance schedules.
Perform maintenance on M113, M88, M1A1, and M578 track vehicles.
Diagnose and repair M113 family of vehicles.
Diagnose electrical, air, hydraulics, and fuel problems on a variety of vehicles such as AVLB and M88 tanks.

Motor mechanic vs wheel alignment mechanic skills

Common motor mechanic skills

Automotive Vehicles, 15%
Electric Motors, 13%
Mechanical Equipment, 11%
Ac, 11%
Dc, 11%
Electrical Systems, 5%

Common wheel alignment mechanic skills

Electrical Systems, 10%
Troubleshoot, 7%
Preventive Maintenance Checks, 5%
Hydraulic Systems, 5%
Equipment Systems, 5%
Routine Maintenance, 5%

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Motor Mechanic vs Wheel Alignment Mechanic

Updated January 8, 2025

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