Top Careers For Diesel Mechanics

Many industries depend on diesel engines.

Diesel engine mechanics are the people who keep us powered up by the power that diesel engines provide. They make everything from building roads and powering emergency generators to keeping our farms running.

Diesel mechanics students who choose to study the technical details of these powerhouses will be rewarded with a wonderful future. Diesel service technicians will see their job growth accelerate to 12 percent between 2014 and 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations. They earned a median salary of $43,630.

Diesel mechanics need only a high school diploma to become a career professional, but students who pursue advanced training in diesel engine repair will be able to open up a wide range of career opportunities.

Here are a few of the possible career paths open to students who have been trained in diesel mechanics.

Diesel engine technicians

Median Pay: $46,818 per year

It should be a no-brainer, right? Diesel mechanic training puts you in a great position to become a diesel technician. Diesel mechanics are responsible for maintaining, repairing and installing diesel engines in vehicles that are used on a daily basis. Students in this field will learn about the basics of the diesel engine, electrical engine systems, and how to perform diagnostic maintenance on diesel engines for personal and professional use. These mechanics work for a variety of different businesses, including auto repair shops, agricultural factories, and government agencies.

Fleet mechanics

Median Pay: $49,070 per year

These guys service large diesel-powered vehicles for a wide variety of companies and government agencies.  Fleet mechanics are not satisfied with small repairs that are made to individual vehicles; they work for large corporations, manufacturers, and government agencies to repair and maintain large fleets of diesel-based vehicles. Technicians repair or maintain hundreds of diesel engines each day, and they make sure that the engines in the trucks that carry people around are running smoothly. Mechanics in this field will experience steady and reliable work opportunities that come from regularly maintaining a fleet of commercial vehicles. People who specialize in diesel mechanics are excellent candidates for jobs in large organizations, including government work, military contracts, and commercial industries.

Locomotive Mechanic

The middle 57% of Train Mechanics makes between $34,834 and $86,227, with the top 86% making $189,377

Tired of being ostracized for being a fan of working on diesel locomotives? Those who work on diesel locomotive engines will enjoy having fun while others laugh at you because you'll manage, maintain, and repair all aspects of a diesel locomotive engine. This job may also include regularly testing safety features and performing repairs to braking systems and engine components, and ensuring that all structural components are up to code. Mechanics who specialize in this field work for railroad companies that depend on the proper functioning of their locomotive engines. Old railroads are still used to transport minerals and construction materials, and they are in dire need of skilled mechanics to maintain them.

Farm Mechanic

Median Pay: $44,548

If you have good sense and want to help hard-working people like those who raise our food, you'll do great as a farm vehicle mechanic. If you choose this field, you will become familiar with the specific mechanisms that run diesel-powered farm equipment, such as tractors and harvesters, and irrigation systems. You could be the man who plants the seeds of a career in the agricultural vehicle industry, as you'll work with farmers or government agencies to maintain and regulate the countless diesel vehicles that power the agricultural industry.

Heavy Equipment Maintenance Technicians

Median Pay: $53,770 per year $25.85 per hour

If you want to keep working on the railroad and truck, consider becoming a heavy equipment specialist. Train to be a diesel mechanic and work as a heavy equipment maintenance specialist. Workers in this field work on large-scale, diesel-powered industrial machinery. Diesel engines power countless different kinds of vehicles, including trucks, buses, construction equipment, and even expensive vehicles. For those who like to fix and maintain all sorts of different vehicles, a career in heavy equipment maintenance is right for you.