Smog check technician vs automobile technician

The differences between smog check technicians and automobile technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a smog check technician and an automobile technician. Additionally, a smog check technician has an average salary of $43,614, which is higher than the $39,815 average annual salary of an automobile technician.

The top three skills for a smog check technician include repair orders, and . The most important skills for an automobile technician are oil changes, preventive maintenance, and engine tune-ups.

Smog check technician vs automobile technician overview

	Smog Check Technician	Automobile Technician
Yearly salary	$43,614	$39,815
Hourly rate	$20.97	$19.14
Growth rate	1%	1%
Number of jobs	62,798	75,140
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 38%	Associate Degree, 33%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	2	2

Smog check technician vs automobile technician salary

Smog check technicians and automobile technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Smog Check Technician	Automobile Technician
Average salary	$43,614	$39,815
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $68,000	Between $26,000 And $59,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between smog check technician and automobile technician education

There are a few differences between a smog check technician and an automobile technician in terms of educational background:

	Smog Check Technician	Automobile Technician
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 38%	Associate Degree, 33%
Most common major	Automotive Technology	Automotive Technology
Most common college	-	-

Smog check technician vs automobile technician demographics

Here are the differences between smog check technicians' and automobile technicians' demographics:

	Smog Check Technician	Automobile Technician
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 79.7% Female, 20.3%	Male, 97.8% Female, 2.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 24.3% Asian, 5.2% White, 57.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.8% Asian, 5.0% White, 59.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	2%	2%

Differences between smog check technician and automobile technician duties and responsibilities

Smog check technician example responsibilities.

Achieve multiple ASE certifications within first year of employment.
Implement PLC programming and troubleshooting procedures while also initiating and executing process improvements and conducting parts research when necessary.
Follow all HIPAA guidelines with no exception.

Automobile technician example responsibilities.

Inspect cars, service and repairs specializing in BMW repairs, manage shop, price and order parts, customer service
Position: ASE certify automobile technician.
Service Toyota, domestic imports to rental trucks, preventative maintenance
Earn certifications through manufacturer and ASE classes/testing.
Perform extensive diagnosis and repair of automotive electrical systems.
Specialize in electronic and mechanical fuel injection systems and automatic transmission diagnosis and repair (foreign and domestic).

Smog check technician vs automobile technician skills

Common smog check technician skills

Repair Orders, 100%

Common automobile technician skills

Oil Changes, 15%
Preventive Maintenance, 9%
Engine Tune-Ups, 8%
Diagnosis, 6%
Shop Equipment, 5%
Automotive Repair, 5%

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Smog Check Technician
Smog Check Technician vs Automobile Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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