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Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers vs Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers: what changes?

Consider Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers if you want to replace or repair broken windshields and window glass in motor vehicles. Consider Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers if you would rather help installation, maintenance, and repair workers in maintenance, parts replacement, and repair of vehicles, industrial machinery, and electrical and electronic equipment. Both list high school diploma or equivalent; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers and Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences
What this means in practice

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Start with earnings, the route into the job, training, available openings, and a day-to-day reality.

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers

National median pay (2025)
$47,630
Route into the job
High school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience
No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing
More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate
Prime all scratches on pinchwelds with primer and allow to dry.
Annual openings (2025–2035)
1,300
Know before you choose

This is a small national occupation (22,600 jobs in 2025), so location and employer concentration can matter more than the national median suggests.

See the full Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers brief

Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers

National median pay (2025)
$39,630
Route into the job
High school diploma or equivalent; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience
No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing
One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate
Install or replace machinery, equipment, and new or replacement parts and instruments, using hand or power tools.
Annual openings (2025–2035)
13,600
Know before you choose

The work can involve real occupational hazards. Training, protective equipment, and routine safety discipline matter every day.

See the full Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers brief
See scores, detailed data, and how the comparison works

How the national numbers differ

1

Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers has the edge on annual openings

Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers is at 13,600 annual openings, compared with 1,300 annual openings for Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers.

2

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers has the edge on median pay

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers is at $47,630, compared with $39,630 for Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers.

3

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers has the edge on projected growth

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers is at 5.7% projected growth, compared with 5.3% projected growth for Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers.

45.8/ 100

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers

vs
55/ 100

Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers vs Helpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers

DimensionAutomotive Glass Installers and RepairersHelpers--Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers
Median pay (2025)$47,630$39,630
Pay percentile25.1 percentile11.2 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)5.7%5.3%
Annual openings (2025–2035)1,30013,600
2025 employment22,60097,100
How you qualifyHigh school diploma or equivalent; More than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensingHigh school diploma or equivalent; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
O*NET preparation groupJob Zone 2Job Zone 2
Related work experienceNo prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job trainingMore than one month and up to 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.