Automotive Mechanics salary in the US
A data-first look at automotive service technicians' pay: the median, the thresholds for the top 25% and top 10%, and how earnings vary across the country.
How much do automotive service technicians earn?
The typical (median) annual earnings for automotive service technicians come to $47,730, which is 9% less than the $52,508 median for all US earners aged 25 and older. Measured against 171 occupation groups it comes 111th, in the lower-middle part of the pay distribution. That estimate rests on 35,421 individual Census survey responses from workers 25 and up.
| Position | Annual earnings |
|---|---|
| Top 10% start at | $95,459 |
| Top 25% start at | $70,401 |
| Median (top 50%) | $47,730 |
| Bottom 25% earn below | $30,435 |
How wide is the pay range?
Moving up the ladder, the top-quarter threshold is $70,401 and the top-10% threshold is $95,459, a 2.0× step up from the middle. The bottom quarter earned under $30,435; that group includes people who worked part of the year or reduced hours, since every earner is counted. The median is 1.6 times that lower-quarter line.
Earnings by age
The age curve is gentle: $44,174 for workers aged 25–34, peaking at $50,763 for those aged 35–44. By 65+ the median is $34,604, down 32% from the high point, as many people phase into retirement.
Men and women
There is a 21% gap at the median: $47,730 for men and $37,781 for women. In the raw sample, roughly 2 in 100 workers in this job are women. The comparison isn't like-for-like on hours or seniority, so read it as a description rather than a pay-equity measure.
| Group | Median earnings | Survey records |
|---|---|---|
| Men | $47,730 | 34,782 |
| Women | $37,781 | 639 |
Does education change the pay?
From a high school education or less to some college or an associate degree, the median rises from $44,150 to $53,696, a 22% gap. The largest group in the sample has a high school education or less (20,801 records). Levels with fewer than 100 records are left out rather than estimated.
| Education | Median earnings | Survey records |
|---|---|---|
| High school or less | $44,150 | 20,801 |
| Some college / associate | $53,696 | 12,934 |
| Bachelor's | $46,555 | 1,398 |
| Master's | $45,686 | 208 |
| Professional degree | Not shown (<100 records) | 49 |
| Doctorate | Not shown (<100 records) | 31 |
Where the most work, and what they earn there
California, Texas, Florida, New York, and Pennsylvania contribute the largest numbers of survey records for this job. Among them, Pennsylvania has the highest median at $49,081 and Texas the lowest at $42,771, a 15% spread. 47 states have 100+ records for this job; elsewhere the sample is too small to publish, and none of the figures adjust for local prices.
| State | Median earnings | Survey records |
|---|---|---|
| California | $48,962 | 4,037 |
| Texas | $42,771 | 3,091 |
| Florida | $42,771 | 2,084 |
| New York | $47,730 | 1,914 |
| Pennsylvania | $49,081 | 1,772 |
Occupations with similar pay
Nearby on the pay scale are farmers, ranchers ($47,730), food service managers ($48,881), clergy ($48,881), and inspectors, testers and sorters ($48,881). Similar pay doesn't mean similar work — training, hours and risk differ — but it's a useful reference when weighing a move.
| Occupation | Median earnings | vs. this job |
|---|---|---|
| Farmers, Ranchers | $47,730 | 0% |
| Food Service Managers | $48,881 | +2% |
| Clergy | $48,881 | +2% |
| Inspectors and Testers | $48,881 | +2% |
| Licensed Practical And Licensed Vocational Nurses | $49,156 | +3% |
About these figures
About the data: the American Community Survey asks people their occupation and earnings; we pool the 2020–2024 responses, convert them to 2024 dollars, and weight each person to represent the population. The 35,421 records for automotive service technicians include part-time workers, so these are annual totals rather than full-time salaries.
See where your pay ranks among automotive service technicians
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Open the calculatorSource: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-Year Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) — personal earnings (PERNP) in 2024 dollars, person-weighted
Reference statistics only — not financial advice.