Refinish technician vs auto mechanic apprentice

The differences between refinish technicians and auto mechanic apprentices can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a refinish technician has an average salary of $45,014, which is higher than the $37,671 average annual salary of an auto mechanic apprentice.

The top three skills for a refinish technician include paint brushes, body shop and stencils. The most important skills for an auto mechanic apprentice are oil changes, R, and engine tune-ups.

Refinish technician vs auto mechanic apprentice overview

	Refinish Technician	Auto Mechanic Apprentice
Yearly salary	$45,014	$37,671
Hourly rate	$21.64	$18.11
Growth rate	3%	3%
Number of jobs	28,813	97,918
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 37%	High School Diploma, 45%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	-	-

Refinish technician vs auto mechanic apprentice salary

Refinish technicians and auto mechanic apprentices have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Refinish Technician	Auto Mechanic Apprentice
Average salary	$45,014	$37,671
Salary range	Between $31,000 And $65,000	Between $23,000 And $60,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between refinish technician and auto mechanic apprentice education

There are a few differences between a refinish technician and an auto mechanic apprentice in terms of educational background:

	Refinish Technician	Auto Mechanic Apprentice
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 37%	High School Diploma, 45%
Most common major	Automotive Technology	Automotive Technology
Most common college	-	-

Refinish technician vs auto mechanic apprentice demographics

Here are the differences between refinish technicians' and auto mechanic apprentices' demographics:

	Refinish Technician	Auto Mechanic Apprentice
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 94.7% Female, 5.3%	Male, 93.4% Female, 6.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 1.8% White, 66.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 7.5% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 1.9% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between refinish technician and auto mechanic apprentice duties and responsibilities

Refinish technician example responsibilities.

Apply all primers, sealers, basecoats and top coats as required.
Compose written reports of data collect from patient evaluation and present to department chief for thorough analysis of patient diagnosis.
Experience with both PPG and DuPont paint mixing systems, their applications, and all paint prep processes.

Auto mechanic apprentice example responsibilities.

Document repairs, modifications and inspections in accordance with FAA requirements on both paper and in an automate maintenance information database.
Utilize sophisticate diagnostic equipment to troubleshoot and correct vehicle computer, electrical, and mechanical, problems.

Refinish technician vs auto mechanic apprentice skills

Common refinish technician skills

Paint Brushes, 38%
Body Shop, 20%
Stencils, 16%
I-Car, 9%
OEM, 8%
Coats, 3%

Common auto mechanic apprentice skills

Oil Changes, 20%
R, 17%
Engine Tune-Ups, 12%
MIG, 11%
Body Shop, 10%
Customer Vehicles, 8%

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Installation, Maintenance and Repair Industry
Refinish Technician
Refinish Technician vs Auto Mechanic Apprentice

Updated January 8, 2025

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