HVAC mechanics look after equipment for heating, cooling, and refrigeration. While some of them operate in commercial or industrial environments, others fix equipment in people’s homes. According to the BLS, HVAC mechanics made an average yearly pay of $48,730 in 2019. The highest paid workers earned an average of $85,940 per year working for civil engineering firms, while they earned an average of $77,180 working for aerospace companies.
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What does a maintenance technician make the most?
How Much Money Can a Repair and Maintenance Employee Make? The median pay for maintenance and repair workers in 2020 was $40,850. In that year, the top 25 percent earned $53,150, while the bottom 25 percent earned $32,020.
What is the salary of a Toyota technician in California?
California has an average Toyota Technician salary of $34,954, which is 24% less than the national average.
Salary data is derived from four sources: employees, users, and past and present job adverts on Indeed over the previous 36 months.
Please be aware that all pay ranges are estimates based on Indeed submissions from third parties. Users of Indeed are merely provided with these numbers for general comparison purposes. For an accurate compensation estimate, you should speak with the company as minimum wages may vary by jurisdiction.
Are mechanics well off?
For three years, Kevin has been a mechanic for both Honda and its high-end rival, Acura. He has visited dealerships in Oregon and California as a result of his job. However, Kevin’s career has been difficult in both states because of the convoluted mechanics’ compensation system.
With a median yearly pay of $36,600, mechanics often have a respectable standard of living. But the majority are compensated in accordance with a “they only receive payment when there is actual work to be done under a flat-rate system. No of how long a task actually takes to complete, it only pays a predetermined number of hours. This can lead to situations where a mechanic works for 10 hours at his shop but only completes two hours’ worth of billable labor; as a result, he is only paid for those two hours. California is one state where the difference is meant to be covered by “Unapplied time: Compensation for all hours worked, whether or not a mechanic is repairing cars. However, the majority of states lack that level of security.
The flat-rate shop Kevin worked for in Oregon gave him and his coworkers a share of the day’s earnings based on the number of hours they put in and their official rate. On paper, he was paid $10 an hour, but he estimates that he made between “between $4 and $15 per hour during the Thanksgiving season.
He currently works in California, where the regulations are a little stricter. Regardless of the workload, he is paid $12 per hour for every hour he works. But he still has difficulties. Contrary to most states, California grants double minimum wage, or $9 per hour, to anyone who furnishes their own tools for labor. Since the majority of mechanics do supply their own tools, they should be paid at least $18 per hour. Kevin uses his own tools, but even so “My supervisor is abusing the system by “supplying me with tools,” but the tools are insufficient for the job, he claimed. He places the value of his equipment between $16,000 and $20,000.
Jesse works as a mechanic for a Toyota dealership in California. He has been employed in the field for five years and counts himself among the fortunate. Jesse’s shop was sued for unpaid pay a few years before he was employed, therefore he receives the $18 minimum wage for any time spent at the shop, which increases to $20 an hour when he has billable hours to work on, assuming that he uses his own tools.
However, Jesse’s shop has another rule that could have a significant impact on his wages later in his career. No matter how many additional qualifications they have, mechanics at the shop can only make a maximum of $24.50 per hour. Additionally, mechanics usually possess a wide range of qualifications, which they frequently have to pay for out of pocket. “Jesse said, “I’m a smog tech, so I get paid more for that. I have the majority of my ASEs completed. I’m a Toyota Advanced Tech from the manufacturer. But despite having all of these certifications, he only receives the minimum wage.
In order to advance in the field, Kevin has also pursued additional education, although doing so comes with debt. He is having trouble repaying his $15,000 in outstanding college debts. It will be challenging to save for retirement because of the loans. “I’ve chosen not to participate in retirement since I don’t earn enough to contribute to it, he stated. But he hopes to begin saving for retirement within the next 12 months.
In this line of work, retirement is a crucial topic because the physical demands of the job force many people to leave their jobs prematurely. 96 percent of mechanics are under 65, thus by that age, the majority have either changed occupations or retired. Once they experience too many aches and pains to continue working, many people are able to find other jobs in the industry, such as teaching, working as service writers who assist in facilitating communication between customers and mechanics, or as parts employees who order and sell parts for customers and the shop. Some people also choose to reduce their hours to part time. Some people continue to try to work on cars at home for money after they formally retire.
There are more ways for mechanics to experience financial instability. Kevin has witnessed some people becoming “depart from a store. Because each job has a set salary, the owners might assign one employee to do all the low-paying tasks, making it challenging to support oneself. In other cases, “At lunchtime, they are informed there is no work and sent home.
Another typical way mechanics are underpaid is when service writers give clients discounts. “I’ve found that individuals like to haggle, which is understandable given that the prices they demand of customers are excessive, Kevin added. However, the mechanic is frequently punished when customers enter the business and complain about the price. By offering a labor cost discount, a mechanic can fix something that should take more time in a shorter amount of time. “According to him, they pay the person doing the repair less since they don’t bill as many hours and would lose money if they paid the guy fixing it full-time.
Additionally, shops can offer a customer a discount by delegating the work to a mechanic who is less qualified and paid less, taking it away from the person who may have initially identified the issue. Service writers are compensated based on client satisfaction, thus they are encouraged to maintain the highest level of client satisfaction, even at the expense of the other staff members.
Robert resides in California as well. He has worked on GMC, Honda, and Infiniti during his thirty years as a technician. In addition to being shop foreman, he is a licensed smog instructor for the state. Robert has struggled greatly during his career due to a lack of growth opportunities. “He added, “Let’s just suppose that someone has to die for you to move up.
The earnings are lowered by this lack of advancement chances. “Despite rising wages and a doubling of the shop’s labor rate since 1999, my annual gross income has consistently decreased or remained the same, he claimed. The labor rate at his shop has increased from $74 in 1997 to $130 per hour, but pay haven’t kept up with inflation. Thanks to that increased rate and an increase in unpaid duties for his position as foreman, his income has been reduced by fewer tasks.
Because it might be difficult for mechanics to make enough money from their jobs to support themselves, they frequently look for outside employment. Both Kevin and Jesse work odd jobs to supplement their earnings. They might assist friends or acquire cars that require maintenance, fix them up, and then sell them again for a profit. Without this informal work stream, paying the bills would be considerably more difficult, but the working day would also be much longer.
Robert offers side labor as one of the finest methods to make up for missing pay, just like Kevin and Jesse have. “He claimed that taking on side employment is the simplest method to make up for a wage shortfall. “I personally don’t like this option because it requires more time away from your family, but sometimes you have to take the necessary steps to achieve your goals.
Where can you get the best pay for auto mechanics?
The District of Columbia ($64,640), California ($54,540), Washington ($52,530), Alaska ($52,490), and Hawaii ($51,920) are the states and districts with the highest mean salaries for auto mechanics.
What distinguishes Maintenance Techs 1 and 2?
The second in the series, Maintenance Technician II, is completely capable of carrying out tasks on their own. The degree of relative independence with which tasks are carried out sets this class apart from the lesser grade of Maintenance Technician I.
What is a maintenance technician’s job description?
A maintenance technician carries out routine maintenance tasks, assists in troubleshooting and speedy repairs of any mechanical or electrical issues that might occur within their departments, and supports external equipment.
A maintenance technician looks for problems in structures, machinery, and systems. They plan fixes for malfunctioning machinery or harmed buildings. They also maintain the building and the surrounding area in general. They also conduct routine quality checks on all machinery and systems to make sure they meet requirements.
A good maintenance technician will be proactive, have great attention to detail, and have outstanding time management and problem-solving skills. A good maintenance technician must be at ease in a team setting and have outstanding verbal and written communication skills in order to work with other coworkers.
A maintenance technician may report to a building supervisor, facilities coordinator, or a team of other maintenance technicians, depending on the size of the building or business.
Are Tesla service fees flat?
A few days ago, I stumbled upon a website listing open openings for Tesla technicians. The majority of these jobs call for technicians to switch out parts and make simple repairs at dealerships and on the job site. The requirements for a dealership technician were quite straightforward. It seems that they weren’t searching for technicians to troubleshoot electric vehicles.
The Tesla Student Automotive Technician Program position was then discovered by me (START). It took some investigation to discover that Tesla will pay someone to attend a trade school for 12 weeks in order to become a Tesla Mobile mechanic. $9.50 is given to students per hour solely to learn. The OEMs’ business practices, which mandate that prospective technicians cover their own training costs, are fundamentally different from this one. A technician may graduate from some of these programs with a $40,000 debt.
The START program has stringent standards. A applicant should already have a post-secondary education, an automotive associate degree, or comparable work experience. The program also states that the applicant must have a solid history in electrical work.
Tesla states that if you complete the program, you will have a job. But specific requirements must be completed. The first step is to accept a job with Tesla and work there for at least two years. Second, you need to be open to moving.
The median household income in the US is $53,000 per year. I believe that all shops and technicians, however, deserve more. The average hourly wage is considerably too low given the amount of expertise and equipment required to service modern vehicles. Shops consistently provide high-quality, expert repairs while executing extremely complicated operations, all while charging the same as a plumber or carpenter.
I’d rather not make this a piece about the technician scarcity, but the majority of theories regarding it are based on the idea that independent shops and dealerships cannot afford to pay and retain the best people. I have to agree since, while Tesla has an hourly labor rate of $175, the average hourly labor wage has not kept up with advancements in automotive technology. It has stagnated at roughly $105 on average over the previous ten years.
How much money do mechanics make in California dealerships?
The majority of Dealership Mechanic salaries presently vary between $41,574 (25th percentile) and $89,088 (75th percentile), with top earners (90th percentile) making $104,431 yearly in California. ZipRecruiter has wages as high as $122,744 and as low as $19,302.
Becoming an Automotive Technician
Despite the fact that the typical picture of a mechanic is one of a person with grease-stained hands and attire, this more technologically advanced industry is changing that perception. In this developing profession, using just wrenches is no longer sufficient. Today’s automobiles are regularly inspected, maintained, and repaired using advanced equipment such as diagnostic computer systems, infrared engine analyzers, compression gauges, and other tools. Even the term “auto mechanic” has been replaced with “automotive technician” to better reflect the fact that the everyday tasks of the position involve more than simply the engine’s mechanical components. In order to perform their tasks, automotive mechanics today need a completely new set of specialized skills and knowledge as a result of these advancements in technology and manufacture.
Career Overview
Auto technicians (AT) execute inspections, maintenance, and repairs to guarantee that the cars that transport us from point A to point B on a daily basis are secure, dependable, and effective.
The typical tasks carried out by ATs are:
- Utilize automated diagnostic tools to locate issues
- To ensure that all crucial components are evaluated, adhere to checklists.
- To guarantee optimal operation, inspect, test, and lubricate components and systems.
- Perform fundamental upkeep and maintenance, such as tire rotations, tune-ups, and oil changes.
- Replace or fix damaged components.
- Taking apart and reassembling parts
- Test the effectiveness of repairs and maintenance using testing equipment.
- Inform consumers of any issues with and repairs made to their car
The obvious requirements for someone to succeed as an AT are mechanical, technical, and troubleshooting abilities. An automotive technician must also have strong customer service abilities. A typical day for an automotive technician includes talking with customers about issues and potential solutions. As a result, it’s critical to be polite, have strong communication and listening skills, and possess a thorough understanding of a range of automobiles.
The majority of auto technicians (ATs) work in auto repair shops and automobile dealerships, but there are also jobs available in high-performance shops, rental car agencies, government organizations, and racing teams. Working in auto shops and dealerships, you may anticipate a 40-hour work week. Some of these employers, on the other hand, stay open later and offer weekend and evening hours to customers, necessitating working evening and weekend shifts.
Education, Training and Certification
Getting practical experience in an auto shop used to be a possibility to become a mechanic. Auto technician schools, however, play a crucial role in ensuring that future ATs are prepared for a successful career and equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to execute the work as the industry develops and changes. Most firms only select applicants with a formal education. They seek a technician with a certificate, diploma, or associate’s degree from a post-secondary institution that is approved. Universities, community institutions, and vocational schools are included in this.
These programs offer both theoretical classroom instruction and practical shop instruction. Along with auto mechanic curriculum, these schools frequently offer coursework in computer science, business, electrical systems, transmission systems, automobile diagnosis, repair, and maintenance. Additionally, the majority of automotive schools include a practicum or internship that enables you to get useful real-world experience.
Certificate programs can be completed in six months to two years and cost between $5,000 and $20,000. An associate’s degree can be obtained for between $10,000 and $25,000 and can be finished in two years. The price for each program is determined by the school’s status as a public or private institution as well as your place of residence. Assistance in getting employment is one of the extra benefits of attending a college, vocational, or technical school for training. Many institutions can provide you with employment leads and networking opportunities since they have relationships with employers in the industry. Furthermore, graduates are frequently prepared to take one or more certification tests.
Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence is an industry standard for measuring technical knowledge and abilities, though it is not necessary to become an automotive technician. It is also becoming more and more significant in this competitive job market. Certification shows a certain level of expertise in a field and often leads to higher remuneration. It demonstrates to potential employers that you are both driven and serious about your profession, and that you believe your skill set is essential to your growth.
Each area of automobile service and repair is covered by more than 40 ASE certification exams. With 9 tests in each series, the tests are divided into 14 separate specializations. You need to have at least two years of experience and pass the first exam in a series to become ASE certified. You must pass eight examinations in a predetermined series to become certified as a Master Automobile Technician. You must be recertified every five years to make sure your skills and knowledge are up to date.
To become an ASE certified, you must pay a registration fee of $36 for any combination of tests, $30 for each test (except from advanced level exams, which cost $60 apiece), and the same amount for recertification exams ($30 or $60). The cost of the recertification test is restricted at $90. Therefore, instead of paying $30 for each exam, you will just spend $90 if you want to recertify in six examinations.
You can develop in your profession by obtaining certification in one or more specializations, showcasing your administrative skills, and displaying a level of seriousness about your career decision. Opportunities include management and supervisory positions, teaching, and potentially starting your own vehicle repair shop.
Visit the ASE Test Prep & Training page to get a better idea of the kind of knowledge you will be tested on for certification. You may discover study materials, study exams, and advice right here.
Salary Information
The salary of an automobile mechanic might vary depending on a number of factors, including certification, education, experience, and speciality. It also depends on whether the technician is paid an hourly wage as usual or a flat fee for a particular job.
Career Outlook
As was already mentioned, people who have a postsecondary degree plus an ASE certification will have a considerably better chance of finding meaningful job. Additionally, some specializations will become more in demand as the job field continues to develop. These include electronics, post-warranty repair, and hybrid fuel technology. Maintaining your focus and learning new things will help you find work and advance in your career. If you decide to pursue a career as an AT, this may be the most crucial advise to keep in mind. It is critical that ATs keep up to date with their knowledge of systems, processes, and new technology as the industry develops.