Smog check technician vs heavy vehicle technician

The differences between smog check technicians and heavy vehicle 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 a heavy vehicle technician. Additionally, a smog check technician has an average salary of $43,614, which is higher than the $38,006 average annual salary of a heavy vehicle technician.

The top three skills for a smog check technician include repair orders, and . The most important skills for a heavy vehicle technician are DOT, hand tools, and CDL.

Smog check technician vs heavy vehicle technician overview

	Smog Check Technician	Heavy Vehicle Technician
Yearly salary	$43,614	$38,006
Hourly rate	$20.97	$18.27
Growth rate	1%	1%
Number of jobs	62,798	108,284
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 38%	High School Diploma, 31%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	2	2

Smog check technician vs heavy vehicle technician salary

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

	Smog Check Technician	Heavy Vehicle Technician
Average salary	$43,614	$38,006
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $68,000	Between $27,000 And $51,000
Highest paying City	-	Foster City, CA
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	Bruce Transportation Group
Best paying industry	-	Professional

Differences between smog check technician and heavy vehicle technician education

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

	Smog Check Technician	Heavy Vehicle Technician
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 38%	High School Diploma, 31%
Most common major	Automotive Technology	Automotive Technology
Most common college	-	-

Smog check technician vs heavy vehicle technician demographics

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

	Smog Check Technician	Heavy Vehicle Technician
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 79.7% Female, 20.3%	Male, 85.4% Female, 14.6%
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, 9.6% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 20.2% Asian, 5.0% White, 60.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	2%	2%

Differences between smog check technician and heavy vehicle 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.

Heavy vehicle technician example responsibilities.

Hire specifically to test and troubleshoot main components and sub assemblies.
Work though rotation of all branches of auto troubleshooting, diagnosis, and repair.
Assign with diagnosis and repair of chassis, electrical, hydraulic and water pump systems.
Inspect, test, troubleshoot, repair and adjust electrical, hydraulic, fire control, mechanical and firing systems.
Demonstrate dependability and reliability by being punctual, working assign shifts, and completing responsibilities in a timely manner.
repair vehicles for a/c brakes, hybrid vehicles, transmissions, electronic and computer diag

Smog check technician vs heavy vehicle technician skills

Common smog check technician skills

Repair Orders, 100%

Common heavy vehicle technician skills

DOT, 12%
Hand Tools, 11%
CDL, 10%
Diagnosis, 5%
Electrical Troubleshooting, 4%
Preventive Maintenance, 4%

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Smog Check Technician
Smog Check Technician vs Heavy Vehicle Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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