Mechanic salaries vary greatly depending on the mechanic’s experience, location, and employer. According to Simply Hired, the national average salary for a mechanic is $40,000 per year.
Mechanics make an average annual salary of $47,000 in the United States. This is a good salary for someone who has completed a 2-year or 4-year training program. Mechanics can also earn more if they have specialized training or certifications.
Annual Salary For A Mechanic
An auto mechanic (automotive technician in most of North America, light vehicle technician in British English, and motor mechanic in Australian English) is a mechanic who services automobiles, sometimes specializing in one or more automobile brands or sometimes working with any brand. In repairing cars, their main role is to diagnose the problem accurately and quickly. They often have to quote prices for their customers before commencing work or after partial disassembly for inspection. Their job may involve the repair of a specific part or the replacement of one or more parts as assemblies.
Basic vehicle maintenance is a fundamental part of a mechanic’s work in modern industrialized countries, while in others they are only consulted when a vehicle is already showing signs of malfunction. Preventive maintenance is also a fundamental part of a mechanic’s job, but this is not possible in the case of vehicles that are not regularly maintained by a mechanic. One misunderstood aspect of preventive maintenance is scheduled replacement of various parts, which occurs before failure to avoid far more expensive damage.
With the rapid advancement in technology, the mechanic’s job has evolved from purely mechanical, to include electronic technology. Because vehicles today possess complex computer and electronic systems, mechanics need to have a broader base of knowledge than in the past.
Due to the increasingly labyrinthine nature of the technology that is now incorporated into automobiles, most automobile dealerships and independent workshops now provide sophisticated diagnostic computers to each technician, without which they would be unable to diagnose or repair a vehicle. [1]
Contents
1 Education
1.1 United States
2 Related careers
3 See also
4 References
Education
United States
In the United States, many programs and schools offer training for those interested in pursuing competencies as automotive mechanics or technicians. Areas of training include automobile repair and maintenance, collision repair, painting and restoring, electronics, air-conditioning and heating systems, and truck and diesel mechanics. The National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) is responsible for evaluating technician training programs against standards developed by the automotive industry. NATEF accredits programs in four different categories: automotive, collision, trucks (diesel technology) and alternative fuels. Diesel mechanics have developed into a trade somewhat distinctive from gasoline-engine mechanics. NATEF lists secondary and post secondary schools with accredited programs on their website.
Some mechanics are ASE certified, which is a standardized method of testing skill and knowledge level. While it’s not required by law for a mechanic to be certified, some companies only hire or promote employees who have passed ASE tests. The technology used in automobiles changes very rapidly and the mechanic must be prepared to learn these new technologies and systems. The auto mechanic has a physically demanding job, often exposed to extreme temperatures, lifting heavy objects and staying in uncomfortable positions for extended periods. They also may deal with exposure to toxic chemicals.
Automobile mechanics at work, USA, 1910s
The internet is being applied to the field increasingly often, with mechanics providing advice on-line. Mechanics themselves now regularly use the internet for information to help them in diagnosing and/or repairing vehicles. Paper based service manuals for vehicles have become significantly less prevalent with computers that are connected to the Internet taking their position, giving quick access to a plethora of technical manuals and information. In addition online appointment platforms have surged allowing customers to schedule vehicle repairs by making appointments. A newer method of mobile mechanic services has emerged where the online appointment made by a person seeking repairs turns into a dispatch call and the mechanics travel to the customers location to perform the services.
