Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between service mechanics and heavy equipment mechanics can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a service mechanic, becoming a heavy equipment mechanic takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a heavy equipment mechanic has an average salary of $49,018, 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 heavy equipment mechanic are CDL, hand tools, and loaders.
| Service Mechanic | Heavy Equipment Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $47,240 | $49,018 |
| Hourly rate | $22.71 | $23.57 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 116,383 | 98,464 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | High School Diploma, 39% |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
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 heavy equipment mechanic is responsible for operating the heavy machinery used in the production of various industries, inspecting inconsistencies, running diagnostic tests, and replacing defective components to ensure its operational safety and efficiency. Heavy equipment mechanics also upgrade engine systems to boost optimal performance, analyze damage costs, and repair equipment parts with the assistance of other mechanical staff. They work closely with the management, create maintenance reports, and suggesting resolutions to avoid delays in production and customer service.
Service mechanics and heavy equipment mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Service Mechanic | Heavy Equipment Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $47,240 | $49,018 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $66,000 | Between $36,000 And $65,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Jose, CA | Oakland, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Vermont |
| Best paying company | Sandia National Labs | BNSF Railway |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Transportation |
There are a few differences between a service mechanic and a heavy equipment mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Service Mechanic | Heavy Equipment Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 36% | High School Diploma, 39% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between service mechanics' and heavy equipment mechanics' demographics:
| Service Mechanic | Heavy Equipment Mechanic | |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.8% Female, 3.2% | Male, 96.6% Female, 3.4% |
| 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, 5.2% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 1.7% White, 72.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 1% |