Wheel alignment mechanic vs senior mechanic

The differences between wheel alignment mechanics and senior mechanics can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a wheel alignment mechanic, becoming a senior mechanic takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a senior mechanic has an average salary of $51,569, which is higher than the $41,985 average annual salary of a wheel alignment mechanic.

The top three skills for a wheel alignment mechanic include electrical systems, troubleshoot and preventive maintenance checks. The most important skills for a senior mechanic are hand tools, preventive maintenance, and HVAC.

Wheel alignment mechanic vs senior mechanic overview

	Wheel Alignment Mechanic	Senior Mechanic
Yearly salary	$41,985	$51,569
Hourly rate	$20.19	$24.79
Growth rate	1%	5%
Number of jobs	34,558	85,706
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 40%	Associate Degree, 31%
Average age	40	49
Years of experience	2	4

Wheel alignment mechanic vs senior mechanic salary

Wheel alignment mechanics and senior mechanics have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Wheel Alignment Mechanic	Senior Mechanic
Average salary	$41,985	$51,569
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $67,000	Between $37,000 And $70,000
Highest paying City	-	Roseville, CA
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Orange County Sanitation District
Best paying industry	-	Energy

Differences between wheel alignment mechanic and senior mechanic education

There are a few differences between a wheel alignment mechanic and a senior mechanic in terms of educational background:

	Wheel Alignment Mechanic	Senior Mechanic
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 40%	Associate Degree, 31%
Most common major	Automotive Technology	Automotive Technology
Most common college	-	SUNY College of Technology at Alfred

Wheel alignment mechanic vs senior mechanic demographics

Here are the differences between wheel alignment mechanics' and senior mechanics' demographics:

	Wheel Alignment Mechanic	Senior Mechanic
Average age	40	49
Gender ratio	Male, 92.3% Female, 7.7%	Male, 96.0% Female, 4.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 21.1% Asian, 5.1% White, 58.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 8.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 2.1% White, 68.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage	2%	4%

Differences between wheel alignment mechanic and senior mechanic duties and responsibilities

Wheel alignment mechanic example responsibilities.

Service and repair for Porsche, Audi, and Volkswagen automobiles.
Raise trucks, vehicles, and heavy parts or equipment using hydraulic jacks or hoists.
Work in there fleet department repairing and diagnosis on all emergency apparatuses and ambulances and police vehicles also include maintenance schedules.
Perform maintenance on M113, M88, M1A1, and M578 track vehicles.
Diagnose and repair M113 family of vehicles.
Diagnose electrical, air, hydraulics, and fuel problems on a variety of vehicles such as AVLB and M88 tanks.

Senior mechanic example responsibilities.

Create and manage preventive and predictive routes using Maximo CMMS database.
Perform technical inspections on vehicle armor, corrective maintenance, and services (PMCS )
Test coolant conditions, inspects wires and repair if damage, replace wire harness, troubleshoot faulty electrical components.
Support GMP manufacturing and team with QA.
Replace electrical switches, lights and outlets.
Use table top grinders and tools for assembly.

Wheel alignment mechanic vs senior mechanic skills

Common wheel alignment mechanic skills

Electrical Systems, 10%
Troubleshoot, 7%
Preventive Maintenance Checks, 5%
Hydraulic Systems, 5%
Equipment Systems, 5%
Routine Maintenance, 5%

Common senior mechanic skills

Hand Tools, 10%
Preventive Maintenance, 7%
HVAC, 6%
Plumbing, 5%
Diesel Engines, 5%
Shop Safety, 4%

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Wheel Alignment Mechanic
Wheel Alignment Mechanic vs Senior Mechanic

Updated January 8, 2025

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