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The differences between vehicle 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 vehicle mechanic and a heavy duty mechanic. Additionally, a heavy duty mechanic has an average salary of $49,563, which is higher than the $42,628 average annual salary of a vehicle mechanic.
The top three skills for a vehicle mechanic include hand tools, electrical systems and diesel engines. The most important skills for a heavy duty mechanic are CDL, hand tools, and preventive maintenance.
| Vehicle Mechanic | Heavy Duty Mechanic | |
| Yearly salary | $42,628 | $49,563 |
| Hourly rate | $20.49 | $23.83 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 37,592 | 51,609 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 42% | High School Diploma, 39% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A vehicle mechanic is responsible for the maintenance of the vehicle's engine, running diagnostic tests, and performing repairs for any inconsistencies to ensure the vehicle's reliability and efficiency upon use. Vehicle mechanics coordinate with clients with their specifications and special requests, such as installing upgraded components to improve the engine's optimal performance. They create an organized report of vehicle assessments, as well as forecasting expenses to discuss with the clients, especially on meeting their budget goals.
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.
Vehicle mechanics and heavy duty mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Vehicle Mechanic | Heavy Duty Mechanic | |
| Average salary | $42,628 | $49,563 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $62,000 | Between $36,000 And $66,000 |
| Highest paying City | Adelanto, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Washington |
| Best paying company | Granite Construction | |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Construction |
There are a few differences between a vehicle mechanic and a heavy duty mechanic in terms of educational background:
| Vehicle Mechanic | Heavy Duty Mechanic | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 42% | High School Diploma, 39% |
| Most common major | Automotive Technology | Automotive Technology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between vehicle mechanics' and heavy duty mechanics' demographics:
| Vehicle Mechanic | Heavy Duty Mechanic | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.8% Female, 8.2% | Male, 95.8% Female, 4.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.2% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 2.4% White, 65.3% 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% |