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The differences between tire technicians and diesel mechanics can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a tire technician, becoming a diesel mechanic takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a diesel mechanic has an average salary of $49,842, which is higher than the $38,376 average annual salary of a tire technician.
The top three skills for a tire technician include customer service, commercial vehicles and customer satisfaction. The most important skills for a diesel mechanic are CDL, preventative maintenance, and DOT.
| Tire Technician | Diesel Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $38,376 | $49,842 |
| Hourly rate | $18.45 | $23.96 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 110,586 | 85,684 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 56% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Average age | 36 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
Tire technicians typically work in car dealerships and automotive repair shops to inspect, replace, install and repair tires on trucks, cars, and other vehicles. They tend to work alongside the mechanics with a focus on ensuring that tires are reliable, safe, and work with other car systems. To be qualified in this position, you should be very attentive to detail as you typically will examine for signs of tire failure and wear. Tire technicians are also responsible for giving recommendations to customers about tire care and replacement.
A diesel mechanic is a skilled technician responsible for the checking, maintenance, and repair of diesel engines. Diesel mechanics duties also include regular inspections of vehicles upon customer's request to ensure the smooth performance of the machine, communicate on any system issue that might cause malfunctions, and provide any replacement to renovate a damaged part of the engine. A diesel mechanic must be highly-knowledgeable on everything related to diesel engines to provide the best, long-term solutions for the customers.
Tire technicians and diesel mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Tire Technician | Diesel Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $38,376 | $49,842 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $53,000 | Between $37,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, NJ | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | State Street | Hensel Phelps |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Energy |
There are a few differences between a tire technician and a diesel mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Tire Technician | Diesel Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 56% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between tire technicians' and diesel mechanics' demographics:
| Tire Technician | Diesel Mechanic | |
| Average age | 36 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.5% Female, 3.5% | Male, 96.3% Female, 3.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 20.7% Asian, 2.1% White, 63.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 8.1% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 2.4% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 2% |