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The differences between shop helpers and shop technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a shop helper, becoming a shop technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a shop technician has an average salary of $36,798, which is higher than the $32,686 average annual salary of a shop helper.
The top three skills for a shop helper include customer service, tape measure and grinders. The most important skills for a shop technician are preventative maintenance, routine maintenance, and diagnosis.
| Shop Helper | Shop Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $32,686 | $36,798 |
| Hourly rate | $15.71 | $17.69 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 23,652 | 150,349 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 51% | High School Diploma, 30% |
| Average age | 39 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
A shop helper is in charge of providing technical assistance to staff. Their responsibilities include operating devices and machinery, assisting in kit arrangements, preparing and handing over tools to mechanics, monitoring the inventory of supplies, and performing basic repairs as needed. They may also perform clerical support tasks such as preparing and processing documentation, answering calls and correspondence, handling request procedures, and maintaining records of transactions. Furthermore, as a shop helper, it is essential to keep an active communication line with staff, coordinating for a smooth and efficient workflow.
Shop Technicians are skilled workers assigned to a retail store. Their main activities depend on the nature of the business their company is in. Usually, Shop Technicians work with machines in the shop. They conduct repair and maintenance work for machines that have long been in the shop. They are also in charge of installing and building new machines as well. Shop Technicians are assigned to manage records of such machines or s other mechanical items in the store. This is part of the administrative activities they may do for the shop.
Shop helpers and shop technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Shop Helper | Shop Technician | |
| Average salary | $32,686 | $36,798 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $39,000 | Between $25,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | Commerce City, CO | San Leandro, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Alaska |
| Best paying company | NBCUniversal | Los Alamos National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Energy |
There are a few differences between a shop helper and a shop technician in terms of educational background:
| Shop Helper | Shop Technician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 51% | High School Diploma, 30% |
| Most common major | Business | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between shop helpers' and shop technicians' demographics:
| Shop Helper | Shop Technician | |
| Average age | 39 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 89.1% Female, 10.9% | Male, 91.9% Female, 8.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.8% Asian, 4.2% White, 59.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4% | Black or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 2.4% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 2% |