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The differences between service mechanics and fleet 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 service mechanic and a fleet mechanic. Additionally, a fleet mechanic has an average salary of $50,065, which is higher than the $47,240 average annual salary of a service mechanic.
The top three skills for a service mechanic include customer service, preventative maintenance and hydraulic systems. The most important skills for a fleet mechanic are CDL, DOT, and diagnosis.
| Service Mechanic | Fleet Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $47,240 | $50,065 |
| Hourly rate | $22.71 | $24.07 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 116,383 | 90,785 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | Associate Degree, 35% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A service mechanic, or often known as a service technician, is an individual who inspects, maintains, and repairs cars and light trucks. Service mechanics must identify the vehicle's problems by using computerized diagnostic equipment and test parts and systems to ensure that they work properly. They must perform basic vehicular care and maintenance such as changing oil, checking fluid levels, and rotating tires. Service mechanics should also explain automotive problems to customers and perform repairs according to the manufacturer ad customer specifications.
A fleet mechanic is responsible for inspecting and maintaining the safety and efficiency of vehicles for various industrial operations and services. Fleet mechanics conduct regular maintenance of the engines, repairing its malfunctioning components, and upgrading its system for optimal performance. They oversee the overall management of fleet operations, keeping an organized record of resolutions for reference to avoid reoccurrence of defects. A fleet mechanic coordinates with the fleet supervisor for necessary replacements of vehicles to avoid delays in operations and prevent potential hazards on the road.
Service mechanics and fleet mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Service Mechanic | Fleet Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $47,240 | $50,065 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $66,000 | Between $37,000 And $66,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | Sacramento, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Sandia National Labs | OGE Energy |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Construction |
There are a few differences between a service mechanic and a fleet mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Service Mechanic | Fleet Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | Associate Degree, 35% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between service mechanics' and fleet mechanics' demographics:
| Service Mechanic | Fleet Mechanic | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.8% Female, 3.2% | Male, 97.9% Female, 2.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 18.7% Asian, 2.4% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 2.4% White, 64.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |