Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines vs Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers: $66K vs $60K Median Pay

Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines vs Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers: what changes?

Consider Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines if you want to diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul mobile mechanical, hydraulic, and pneumatic equipment, such as cranes, bulldozers, graders, and conveyors, used in construction, logging, and mining. Consider Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers if you would rather install, program, maintain, and repair security and fire alarm wiring and equipment. Both list high school diploma or equivalent; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines and Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers. 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

Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines

National median pay (2025): $65,510
Route into the job: High school diploma or equivalent; More than 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 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Repair and replace damaged or worn parts.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 15,000

Know before you choose

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

See the full Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines brief

Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers

National median pay (2025): $60,070
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: Install, maintain, or repair security systems, alarm devices, or related equipment, following blueprints of electrical layouts and building plans.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 8,500

Know before you choose

Some core tasks take place on ladders, scaffolds, roofs, or other elevated work areas.

See the full Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers brief

How the national numbers differ

Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines has the edge on annual openings

Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines is at 15,000 annual openings, compared with 8,500 annual openings for Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers.

Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines has the edge on median pay

Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines is at $65,510, compared with $60,070 for Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers.

Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers has the edge on projected growth

Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers is at 6.8% projected growth, compared with 6.7% projected growth for Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines.

67/ 100

Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines

61.2/ 100

Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers

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

Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines vs Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers

Dimension	Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines	Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers
Median pay (2025)	$65,510	$60,070
Pay percentile	57.4 percentile	47.9 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	6.7%	6.8%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	15,000	8,500
2025 employment	180,300	86,300
How you qualify	High school diploma or equivalent; More than 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing	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
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 3	Job Zone 3
Related work experience	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
On-the-job training	More than 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.	More than one month and up to 12 months 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.

Read Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines brief Read Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers brief

Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines vs Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines

Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers

How the national numbers differ

Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines has the edge on annual openings

Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines has the edge on median pay

Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers has the edge on projected growth

Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines vs Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers

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