Smog check technician vs transmission technician

The differences between smog check technicians and transmission 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 transmission technician. Additionally, a smog check technician has an average salary of $43,614, which is higher than the $42,179 average annual salary of a transmission technician.

The top three skills for a smog check technician include repair orders, and . The most important skills for a transmission technician are customer service, hand tools, and shop equipment.

Smog check technician vs transmission technician overview

	Smog Check Technician	Transmission Technician
Yearly salary	$43,614	$42,179
Hourly rate	$20.97	$20.28
Growth rate	1%	1%
Number of jobs	62,798	63,479
Job satisfaction	-	3
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 38%	Associate Degree, 33%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	2	2

Smog check technician vs transmission technician salary

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

	Smog Check Technician	Transmission Technician
Average salary	$43,614	$42,179
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $68,000	Between $28,000 And $62,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between smog check technician and transmission technician education

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

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

Smog check technician vs transmission technician demographics

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

	Smog Check Technician	Transmission Technician
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 79.7% Female, 20.3%	Male, 93.7% Female, 6.3%
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, 9.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 18.9% Asian, 4.9% White, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	2%	2%

Differences between smog check technician and transmission 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.

Transmission technician example responsibilities.

Tap and install high pressure taps.
Complete rebuild and dyno test each transmission.
Inspect machinery, troubleshoot issues, and document findings.
Perform clutch, manual transmissions and other driveline repairs.
Diagnose and repair various mechanical and electrical problems of Toyota passenger cars.
Coordinate the repair efforts or repair Ethernet equipment as well as DS1 and DS3.

Smog check technician vs transmission technician skills

Common smog check technician skills

Repair Orders, 100%

Common transmission technician skills

Customer Service, 36%
Hand Tools, 9%
Shop Equipment, 9%
Chrysler, 8%
Diagnosis, 8%
ASE, 7%

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Smog Check Technician
Smog Check Technician vs Transmission Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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