Vehicle inspector vs emissions testing technician

The differences between vehicle inspectors and emissions testing 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 vehicle inspector and an emissions testing technician. Additionally, an emissions testing technician has an average salary of $48,515, which is higher than the $47,110 average annual salary of a vehicle inspector.

The top three skills for a vehicle inspector include inspect vehicles, mechanical problems and cleanliness. The most important skills for an emissions testing technician are emission test, DOT, and dynamometers.

Vehicle inspector vs emissions testing technician overview

	Vehicle Inspector	Emissions Testing Technician
Yearly salary	$47,110	$48,515
Hourly rate	$22.65	$23.32
Growth rate	-3%	1%
Number of jobs	18,031	25,097
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 34%	Associate Degree, 37%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	2	2

Vehicle inspector vs emissions testing technician salary

Vehicle inspectors and emissions testing technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Vehicle Inspector	Emissions Testing Technician
Average salary	$47,110	$48,515
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $76,000	Between $31,000 And $75,000
Highest paying City	Newark, NJ	-
Highest paying state	New Jersey	-
Best paying company	Parsons	-
Best paying industry	Internet	-

Differences between vehicle inspector and emissions testing technician education

There are a few differences between a vehicle inspector and an emissions testing technician in terms of educational background:

	Vehicle Inspector	Emissions Testing Technician
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 34%	Associate Degree, 37%
Most common major	Automotive Technology	Automotive Technology
Most common college	-	-

Vehicle inspector vs emissions testing technician demographics

Here are the differences between vehicle inspectors' and emissions testing technicians' demographics:

	Vehicle Inspector	Emissions Testing Technician
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 85.2% Female, 14.8%	Male, 90.0% Female, 10.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.4% Unknown, 7.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 7.6% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 7.5% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 5.8% White, 58.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	11%	11%

Differences between vehicle inspector and emissions testing technician duties and responsibilities

Vehicle inspector example responsibilities.

Specialize in HVAC system on subway cars.
Work in several Honda plants in Ohio and warehousing.
Represent SGS and build relationships with auto dealerships and customers.
Inspect car components for compliance with FRA and AAR standards.
Submit completed inspection billing statements to SGS finance department for payments.
Perform inspections for Honda financial, ally financial, Chrysler financial.

Emissions testing technician example responsibilities.

Operate dynamometers on diesel engines, testing emission systems for``on and off"road application.
Work with thermocouple installation as well as wiring harness troubleshooting and run complex testing and sequences set-ups.
Compose written reports of data collect from patient evaluation and present to department chief for thorough analysis of patient diagnosis.
Repair or replace shock absorbers.

Vehicle inspector vs emissions testing technician skills

Common vehicle inspector skills

Inspect Vehicles, 25%
Mechanical Problems, 17%
Cleanliness, 13%
Condition Reports, 6%
Inspection Reports, 6%
Structural Damage, 6%

Common emissions testing technician skills

Emission Test, 42%
DOT, 25%
Dynamometers, 9%
Customer Service, 8%
Vehicle Emissions, 8%
EPA, 6%

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Vehicle Inspector vs Emissions Testing Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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