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The differences between truck trailer 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 trailer mechanic and a heavy duty mechanic. Additionally, a heavy duty mechanic has an average salary of $49,563, which is higher than the $48,768 average annual salary of a truck trailer mechanic.
The top three skills for a truck trailer mechanic include CDL, landing gear and hand tools. The most important skills for a heavy duty mechanic are CDL, hand tools, and preventive maintenance.
| Truck Trailer Mechanic | Heavy Duty Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $48,768 | $49,563 |
| Hourly rate | $23.45 | $23.83 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 124,876 | 51,609 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 47% | High School Diploma, 39% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Heavy-duty trucks and trailers often break down after continuous use, and that is where a mechanic's job is very important. A truck trailer mechanic inspects, troubleshoots, and repairs all sizes of trucks and trailers. They also conduct routine preventive inspections and repair brakes, tires, steering, and mobile AC refrigeration. They are responsible for ensuring that all trailers under their care meet all road safety requirements from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
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 trailer mechanics and heavy duty mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Truck Trailer Mechanic | Heavy Duty Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $48,768 | $49,563 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $65,000 | Between $36,000 And $66,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Washington |
| Best paying company | Dairy Farmers of America | Granite Construction |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Construction |
There are a few differences between a truck trailer mechanic and a heavy duty mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Truck Trailer Mechanic | Heavy Duty Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 47% | High School Diploma, 39% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between truck trailer mechanics' and heavy duty mechanics' demographics:
| Truck Trailer Mechanic | Heavy Duty Mechanic | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.1% Female, 3.9% | Male, 95.8% Female, 4.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 2.5% White, 66.8% 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% |