What is a junior mechanic and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted Expert
Ronald Widdoss
The average junior mechanic salary is $39,809. The most common degree is a high school diploma degree with an electrical engineering technology major. It usually takes 1-2 years of experience to become a junior mechanic. Junior mechanics with a Certified Installer (CI) certification earn more money. Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 4% and produce 12,600 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a Junior Mechanic?

R

Ronald Widdoss

Be a sponge. Learn all you can and prove to your employer you can be taught and that your up for the challenge.
ScoreJunior MechanicUS Average
Salary
3.1

Avg. Salary $39,809

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
6.3

Growth Rate 4%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
10.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.05%

Asian 2.31%

Black or African American 7.29%

Hispanic or Latino 20.02%

Unknown 4.96%

White 64.37%

Gender

female 3.42%

male 96.58%

Age - 42
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 42
Stress Level
6.3

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
5.8

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
6.3

Work Life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Junior Mechanic career paths

Key steps to become a junior mechanic

  1. Explore junior mechanic education requirements

    Most common junior mechanic degrees

    High School Diploma

    40.2 %

    Associate

    21.2 %

    Diploma

    14.8 %
  2. Start to develop specific junior mechanic skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Hand Tools19.53%
    Electrical Systems10.69%
    OSHA10.23%
    Ladders7.46%
    Light Fixtures5.64%
  3. Complete relevant junior mechanic training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New junior mechanics learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a junior mechanic based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real junior mechanic resumes.
  4. Obtain the necessary licensing

    Becoming a licensed junior mechanic usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed junior mechanic in most of states. 25 states require junior mechanics to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.
    State
    ascdesc
    Education
    ascdesc
    Exam
    ascdesc
    License Url
    ascdesc
    Alabama-State exam requiredLicensed Journeyman Electrician
    Alaska-State exam requiredElectrical Worker
    Arkansas-Third-party exam requiredJourneyman Electrician
    Colorado-State exam requiredJourneyman Electrician
    HawaiiDegree requiredState exam requiredElectrician
  5. Research junior mechanic duties and responsibilities

    • Maintain and manage shop for parts, supplies and priority in jobs and cleanliness.
    • Assist technicians in the installation and repair HVAC system units, including electronic and mechanical components.
    • Measure, cut, thread and bond pipes and tubing to feeding water, gas or refrigerant to various HVAC equipment.
    • Document repairs, modifications and inspections in accordance with FAA requirements on both paper and in an automate maintenance information database.
  6. Prepare your junior mechanic resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your junior mechanic resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a junior mechanic resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Junior Mechanic Resume templates

    Build a professional Junior Mechanic resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Junior Mechanic resume.
    Junior Mechanic Resume
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    Junior Mechanic Resume
  7. Apply for junior mechanic jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a junior mechanic job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Junior Mechanic Job

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Average junior mechanic salary

The average Junior Mechanic salary in the United States is $39,809 per year or $19 per hour. Junior mechanic salaries range between $28,000 and $55,000 per year.

Average Junior Mechanic Salary
$39,809 Yearly
$19.14 hourly

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How do junior mechanics rate their job?

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Junior Mechanic reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2023
Cons

Pay is low. Also down time is sporadic. Not a job to raise a family with. If your single it's great.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2023
Pros

Thinking about the job while working the job


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jul 2022
Pros

Hands on /weld/electric/mech/plumbing……

Cons

People looking over me when they can’t do the jobs


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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