Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics Salary: $66,516 Median Pay (2026 stats)
TL;DR
About 688,840 automotive service technicians and mechanics nationally earn a mean of $66,516. Employment in the series shown rose about 11% from the first to the last year; much hiring sits in retail trade.
Key Statistics
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics: what the data shows
Common questions about automotive service technicians and mechanics careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a automotive service technicians and mechanics?
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 49-3023.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 688,840 workers.
What does a automotive service technicians and mechanics do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Getting Information, Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment, Making Decisions and Solving Problems, Handling and Moving Objects, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a automotive service technicians and mechanics make?
BLS national median annual wage: $49,670 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $66,516 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $39,250 |
| 25th percentile | $48,165 |
| Median (50th) | $65,079 |
| 75th percentile | $78,172 |
| 90th percentile | $96,391 |
What education do you need?
For Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics, O*NET incumbent surveys in our extract most often report: Some college (29%), High School or Equivalent (27%), Bachelors Degree (22%).
These are education levels of current workers, not minimum legal requirements.
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Repairing, Troubleshooting, Operations Monitoring, Critical Thinking, Equipment Maintenance, Judgment and Decision Making, and knowledge areas including Mechanical, Customer and Personal Service, Computers and Electronics, Engineering and Technology. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is automotive service technicians and mechanics in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 0.2% annual decline (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: -1.1%.
Ten-year projected employment change: -2.1%.
Current U.S. headcount: 688,840.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do automotive service technicians and mechanicss work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 688,840 | 18.8% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 658,860 | 18.0% |
| Retail Trade | 349,330 | 9.5% |
| Motor Vehicle and Parts Dealers | 311,650 | 8.5% |
| Automobile Dealers | 259,640 | 7.1% |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 242,800 | 6.6% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | 136,390 | $78,680 |
| Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians | 36,880 | $52,080 |
| Motorcycle Mechanics | 14,010 | $47,200 |
| Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines | 180,270 | $63,980 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics | 34,240 | $46,560 |
| Automotive and Watercraft Service Attendants | 98,270 | $34,850 |
| Automotive Body and Related Repairers | 155,220 | $51,680 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics workforce.
Employment Over Time
688,840 Workforce in 2023
The Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics workforce has been growing over time.
Historical employment trends for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$66,516 Average Wage
In 2023, Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics earned an average of $66,516.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics.
Salary distribution for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics.
Employment Growth Projections
-0.2% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
244,142 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: -1.1%
241,513 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: -2.1%
This occupation is experiencing a decline. Consider related fields with better growth prospects.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics.
Wage Trends by Industry
7.6% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- TX: 67,060 employees, $53,760 avg wage
- CA: 62,110 employees, $64,770 avg wage
- FL: 46,090 employees, $53,090 avg wage
- NY: 31,790 employees, $57,650 avg wage
- PA: 29,020 employees, $52,690 avg wage
- IL: 26,710 employees, $56,780 avg wage
- NC: 25,260 employees, $52,930 avg wage
- GA: 24,000 employees, $55,440 avg wage
- OH: 22,950 employees, $51,540 avg wage
- MI: 20,650 employees, $53,960 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: 27,540 employees, $61,890 avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 19,620 employees, $62,820 avg wage
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 18,180 employees, $59,710 avg wage
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: 17,020 employees, $57,960 avg wage
- Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX: 14,520 employees, $56,400 avg wage
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA: 13,820 employees, $58,590 avg wage
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD: 12,450 employees, $57,350 avg wage
- Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ: 12,300 employees, $59,320 avg wage
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL: 12,130 employees, $55,010 avg wage
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV: 11,920 employees, $66,440 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics.
Diversity
Demographic information on Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics in the US.
Gender and Age
The workforce of Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics in 2023 was 688,840 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.
Gender and age distribution for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics in 2023 were Engineering, Technical Training, Automotive Technology.
Common majors for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics workers.
Education level distribution for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics.
Skills
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics need many skills, but most especially Repairing, Troubleshooting, Operations Monitoring, Critical Thinking, Equipment Maintenance.
Required skills for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics include Mechanical, Customer and Personal Service, Computers and Electronics, Engineering and Technology, English Language.
Knowledge areas required for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics include Deductive Reasoning, Manual Dexterity, Inductive Reasoning, Finger Dexterity, Problem Sensitivity.
Required abilities for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics.
Daily Activities
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics spend their time on activities such as Getting Information, Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment, Making Decisions and Solving Problems.
Most important work activities for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics.
About
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics
The average yearly wage for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics was $66,516 in 2023.
SOC Code
49-3023 - Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics
Insights and Analysis
Compensation snapshot: Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics reports an average salary of $66,516.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 688,840 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual decline is -0.2%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.