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The differences between truck trailer mechanics and shop 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 truck trailer mechanic and a shop technician. Additionally, a truck trailer mechanic has an average salary of $48,768, which is higher than the $36,798 average annual salary of a shop technician.
The top three skills for a truck trailer mechanic include CDL, landing gear and hand tools. The most important skills for a shop technician are preventative maintenance, routine maintenance, and diagnosis.
| Truck Trailer Mechanic | Shop Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $48,768 | $36,798 |
| Hourly rate | $23.45 | $17.69 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 124,876 | 150,349 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 47% | High School Diploma, 30% |
| 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.
Shop Technicians are skilled workers assigned to a retail store. Their main activities depend on the nature of the business their company is in. Usually, Shop Technicians work with machines in the shop. They conduct repair and maintenance work for machines that have long been in the shop. They are also in charge of installing and building new machines as well. Shop Technicians are assigned to manage records of such machines or s other mechanical items in the store. This is part of the administrative activities they may do for the shop.
Truck trailer mechanics and shop technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Truck Trailer Mechanic | Shop Technician | |
| Average salary | $48,768 | $36,798 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $65,000 | Between $25,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | San Leandro, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Dairy Farmers of America | Los Alamos National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Energy |
There are a few differences between a truck trailer mechanic and a shop technician in terms of educational background:
| Truck Trailer Mechanic | Shop Technician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 47% | High School Diploma, 30% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between truck trailer mechanics' and shop technicians' demographics:
| Truck Trailer Mechanic | Shop Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 96.1% Female, 3.9% | Male, 91.9% Female, 8.1% |
| 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, 8.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 2.4% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 2% | 2% |