Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between truck drivers and diesel mechanics can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a truck driver and a diesel mechanic. Additionally, a truck driver has an average salary of $60,326, which is higher than the $49,842 average annual salary of a diesel mechanic.
The top three skills for a truck driver include CDL, OTR and DOT. The most important skills for a diesel mechanic are CDL, preventative maintenance, and DOT.
| Truck Driver | Diesel Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $60,326 | $49,842 |
| Hourly rate | $29.00 | $23.96 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 827,858 | 85,684 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | 5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 48% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Average age | 48 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
The truck driver transports goods and materials by land from and to manufacturing factories or retail businesses and distribution centers with the use of heavy trucks or tractor-trailers. Truck drivers assist and supervise the safe unloading of cargos to the destination. They must always check their cargo if complete and secured with cables, rope, or other materials. They should keep their truck clean, neat, and inspect prior the trip and ensure to be in good working condition to operate safely. It is very important that they follow with all appropriate safety procedures and comply with federal and state regulations. They must also be knowledgable and comfortable in using maps or GPS to navigate the safest and most efficient routes.
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.
Truck drivers and diesel mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Truck Driver | Diesel Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $60,326 | $49,842 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $90,000 | Between $37,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | Wilmington, DE | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | W. R. Grace & Co | Hensel Phelps |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Energy |
There are a few differences between a truck driver and a diesel mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Truck Driver | Diesel Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 48% | High School Diploma, 42% |
| Most common major | Business | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between truck drivers' and diesel mechanics' demographics:
| Truck Driver | Diesel Mechanic | |
| Average age | 48 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.6% Female, 8.4% | Male, 96.3% Female, 3.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 3.4% White, 59.8% 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% |