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The differences between service technicians and automotive technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a service technician, becoming an automotive technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an automotive technician has an average salary of $40,910, which is higher than the $40,379 average annual salary of a service technician.
The top three skills for a service technician include plumbing, customer service and preventative maintenance. The most important skills for an automotive technician are work ethic, computer system, and customer service.
| Service Technician | Automotive Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $40,379 | $40,910 |
| Hourly rate | $19.41 | $19.67 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 254,533 | 142,840 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.5 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 29% | Associate Degree, 34% |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
Service technicians are assigned in the field to address the concerns of their clients. Service technicians are responsible for the installation, maintenance, or repair of different units or items related to their company's products or services. They should be familiar with their company's products so that they can properly install, maintain, or repair them. They conduct diagnostics and analysis to assess the condition of the unit they are servicing and properly address problems. They also do routine maintenance check-ups. Service technicians are expected to be trustworthy, have good analytical skills, and have good decision-making skills.
An automotive technician is responsible for maintaining the condition of automotive equipment. The duties of an automotive technician include repairing defective automotive components and inspecting and ensuring the auto's performance, stability, and safety. A tech is also responsible for upgrading the electrical systems to boost efficiency, conducting oil changes and tire checks, and installing batteries. An automotive technician also runs quality checks and improves system designs based on clients' specifications. An automotive technician must have excellent knowledge of the mechanical industry and automotive systems to assist clients with their inquiries and concerns.
Service technicians and automotive technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Service Technician | Automotive Technician | |
| Average salary | $40,379 | $40,910 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $57,000 | Between $29,000 And $57,000 |
| Highest paying City | Richmond, CA | Los Angeles, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | California |
| Best paying company | IBM | Orange County Sheriff's Office |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Automotive |
There are a few differences between a service technician and an automotive technician in terms of educational background:
| Service Technician | Automotive Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 29% | Associate Degree, 34% |
| Most common major | Business | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between service technicians' and automotive technicians' demographics:
| Service Technician | Automotive Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.2% Female, 10.8% | Male, 95.8% Female, 4.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.1% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.8% Asian, 1.7% White, 72.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.5% Asian, 5.0% White, 60.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 1% | 2% |