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The differences between truck mechanics and heavy duty 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 mechanic and a heavy duty mechanic. Additionally, a truck mechanic has an average salary of $50,169, which is higher than the $49,563 average annual salary of a heavy duty mechanic.
The top three skills for a truck mechanic include CDL, customer service and electrical systems. The most important skills for a heavy duty mechanic are CDL, hand tools, and preventive maintenance.
| Truck Mechanic | Heavy Duty Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $50,169 | $49,563 |
| Hourly rate | $24.12 | $23.83 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 80,942 | 51,609 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 37% | High School Diploma, 39% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Also known as diesel services technicians, truck mechanics perform various heavy-duty truck tasks. The technicians work on large vehicles, tractor-trailers, and buses. It is their duty to inspect, make diagnoses, and repair the brake systems and other electrical components. They conduct routine maintenance work, which aims for longevity and functionality. It is also important for them to have skills in communication, organization, computer system, and administrative tasks.
Heavy-duty mechanics are skilled employees who are responsible for providing repairs and maintenance of mobile heavy-duty construction equipment. These mechanics must perform inspections on equipment such as bulldozers, cranes, and other heavy construction equipment to detect faults and malfunctions to ensure proper performance. They must test the repaired equipment to ensure that the repair works meet the specifications of the manufacturers. Heavy-duty mechanics must also provide a safe working environment and take special precautions to protect themselves against work-related injuries.
Truck mechanics and heavy duty mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Truck Mechanic | Heavy Duty Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $50,169 | $49,563 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $67,000 | Between $36,000 And $66,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, NJ | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | Washington |
| Best paying company | Allan A. Myers | Granite Construction |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Construction |
There are a few differences between a truck mechanic and a heavy duty mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Truck Mechanic | Heavy Duty Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 37% | High School Diploma, 39% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between truck mechanics' and heavy duty mechanics' demographics:
| Truck Mechanic | Heavy Duty Mechanic | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 97.3% Female, 2.7% | Male, 95.8% Female, 4.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 2.5% White, 66.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 19.2% Asian, 2.4% White, 64.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |