Windshield repair technician vs alignment technician

The differences between windshield repair technicians and alignment 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 windshield repair technician and an alignment technician. Additionally, a windshield repair technician has an average salary of $39,335, which is higher than the $38,020 average annual salary of an alignment technician.

The top three skills for a windshield repair technician include safety equipment, customer service and repair process. The most important skills for an alignment technician are customer service, hand tools, and power steering.

Windshield repair technician vs alignment technician overview

	Windshield Repair Technician	Alignment Technician
Yearly salary	$39,335	$38,020
Hourly rate	$18.91	$18.28
Growth rate	1%	1%
Number of jobs	77,508	143,585
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 49%	High School Diploma, 40%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	2	2

Windshield repair technician vs alignment technician salary

Windshield repair technicians and alignment technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Windshield Repair Technician	Alignment Technician
Average salary	$39,335	$38,020
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $55,000	Between $25,000 And $57,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between windshield repair technician and alignment technician education

There are a few differences between a windshield repair technician and an alignment technician in terms of educational background:

	Windshield Repair Technician	Alignment Technician
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 49%	High School Diploma, 40%
Most common major	Business	Automotive Technology
Most common college	-	-

Windshield repair technician vs alignment technician demographics

Here are the differences between windshield repair technicians' and alignment technicians' demographics:

	Windshield Repair Technician	Alignment Technician
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 84.2% Female, 15.8%	Male, 95.9% Female, 4.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 22.7% Asian, 5.0% White, 57.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 18.9% Asian, 5.8% White, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	2%	2%

Differences between windshield repair technician and alignment technician duties and responsibilities

Windshield repair technician example responsibilities.

Manage customer accounts from initial diagnosis and estimate to final invoicing.
Develop acute attention to detail and high level of dexterity require for repair of intricate mechanisms common in photographic equipment.
Install auto glass safe with Safelite design tools and products.

Alignment technician example responsibilities.

Repair wheels using grinders, sanders and paint equipment.
Straighten bend or damage alloy wheels.
Assist with MIG welding and exhaust work.
Perform all general lube and oil filter changes.
Used a grinder and DA sanders to remove damage from rims.
Clean and resize bearing fillet and dust guard seat using various grinders.

Windshield repair technician vs alignment technician skills

Common windshield repair technician skills

Safety Equipment, 41%
Customer Service, 30%
Repair Process, 5%
Insurance Claims, 5%
Safety Glass, 4%
Window Glass, 4%

Common alignment technician skills

Customer Service, 39%
Hand Tools, 34%
Power Steering, 10%
Customer Vehicles, 6%
Customer Satisfaction, 4%
Diagnosis, 1%

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Installation, Maintenance and Repair Industry
Windshield Repair Technician
Windshield Repair Technician vs Alignment Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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