Shovel mechanic vs heavy equipment mechanic

The differences between shovel mechanics and heavy equipment mechanics can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a shovel mechanic and a heavy equipment mechanic. Additionally, a heavy equipment mechanic has an average salary of $49,018, which is higher than the $47,081 average annual salary of a shovel mechanic.

The top three skills for a shovel mechanic include shovels, cranes and MSHA. The most important skills for a heavy equipment mechanic are CDL, hand tools, and loaders.

Shovel mechanic vs heavy equipment mechanic overview

	Shovel Mechanic	Heavy Equipment Mechanic
Yearly salary	$47,081	$49,018
Hourly rate	$22.64	$23.57
Growth rate	8%	8%
Number of jobs	33,785	98,464
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 45%	High School Diploma, 39%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	4	4

Shovel mechanic vs heavy equipment mechanic salary

Shovel mechanics and heavy equipment mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Shovel Mechanic	Heavy Equipment Mechanic
Average salary	$47,081	$49,018
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $79,000	Between $36,000 And $65,000
Highest paying City	-	Oakland, CA
Highest paying state	-	Vermont
Best paying company	-	BNSF Railway
Best paying industry	-	Transportation

Differences between shovel mechanic and heavy equipment mechanic education

There are a few differences between a shovel mechanic and a heavy equipment mechanic in terms of educational background:

	Shovel Mechanic	Heavy Equipment Mechanic
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 45%	High School Diploma, 39%
Most common major	General Studies	Automotive Technology
Most common college	-	-

Shovel mechanic vs heavy equipment mechanic demographics

Here are the differences between shovel mechanics' and heavy equipment mechanics' demographics:

	Shovel Mechanic	Heavy Equipment Mechanic
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 100.0% Female, 0.0%	Male, 96.6% Female, 3.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.5% Asian, 1.6% White, 78.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	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	1%	1%

Differences between shovel mechanic and heavy equipment mechanic duties and responsibilities

Shovel mechanic example responsibilities.

Begin teardown to determine problems with operation or places showing abnormal wear and tear.
Document repairs, modifications and inspections in accordance with FAA requirements on both paper and in an automate maintenance information database.
Plan and schedule preventive maintenance for mine equipment.
Perform preventive daily maintenance following a schedule maintenance schedule.

Heavy equipment mechanic example responsibilities.

Maintain and manage shop for parts, supplies and priority in jobs and cleanliness.
Operate grinders, vises, jacks, cranes, drill presses, pallet lifts, wheel lifts, and solvent tank.
Perform corrosion control and painting procedures on equipment using grinders, sanders, respirators and paint guns.
Fix and maintain all types of heavy equipment such as backhoe, excavator, bull dozer and grader.
Analyze and diagnose problems, troubleshoot electrical systems and their mechanical components.
Perform queries into competitor technology to maintain ability to perform accurate diagnosis on equipment not produce by caterpillar.

Shovel mechanic vs heavy equipment mechanic skills

Common shovel mechanic skills

Shovels, 33%
Cranes, 26%
MSHA, 16%
Lube, 15%
Electrical Systems, 5%
DML, 4%

Common heavy equipment mechanic skills

CDL, 8%
Hand Tools, 7%
Loaders, 6%
Cranes, 6%
Electrical Systems, 4%
End Loaders, 4%

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Shovel Mechanic
Shovel Mechanic vs Heavy Equipment Mechanic

Updated January 8, 2025

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