How Much Do Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics Make?
$50,620 median per year · $56,420 average · 705,000 jobs
The median annual wage for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics was $50,620 in May 2025 — the midpoint of the pay distribution, not an average pulled up by a handful of top earners.
That is 1% below the $50,980 median for all US workers — roughly 1.0× the national figure. It ranks 537th of the 825 occupations with a published median.
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics salary by percentile
A single median hides the shape of the pay distribution. The table below shows what workers earn at each fifth of the distribution, from the lowest-paid 10% to the highest-paid 10%, in both annual and hourly terms.
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $34,660 | $16.66 |
| 25th percentile | $38,900 | $18.70 |
| Median | $50,620 | $24.34 |
| 75th percentile | $70,430 | $33.86 |
| 90th percentile | $81,790 | $39.32 |
| Average (mean) | $56,420 | $27.13 |
What the pay range means
The distance between the 10th and 90th percentiles is the clearest signal of how much pay varies inside an occupation. Here the top decile earns 2.4× what the bottom decile earns, a spread of $47,130 a year. Occupations with a wide spread usually reward experience, certifications, location or specialty. Occupations with a narrow spread tend to pay close to a common rate.
On an hourly basis the median is $24.34. Annual figures assume full-time, year-round work; part-time schedules and overtime shift the hourly-to-annual relationship, which is why the BLS publishes both.
How this occupation compares
Within installation, maintenance, and repair, the BLS group median is $59,620. This occupation sits 15% below that mark.
About 705,000 jobs are in the occupation, or 0.5% of the 155.5 million jobs covered by the survey. That scale matters: a very large occupation moves slowly, so its median is a stable benchmark rather than a snapshot of a few hires.
Where these numbers come from
Every figure on this page comes from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for May 2025. The survey covers wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments and excludes self-employed workers, owners of unincorporated businesses, and some government roles.
Figures are national estimates. They describe what an occupation pays across the country as a whole, not what a particular employer, city or experience level offers. Percentiles are rounded, but no wage in the May 2025 release is top-coded: every published median and percentile is an exact figure.
Similar occupations
Roles with closely comparable median pay, mostly within installation, maintenance, and repair.
- Home Appliance Repairers$50,990 median
- Locksmiths and Safe Repairers$51,320 median
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General$49,590 median
- Recreational Vehicle Service Technicians$52,000 median
- Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Workers, All Other$49,230 median
- Audiovisual Equipment Installers and Repairers$52,600 median
Common questions
How much do Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics make?
The median was $50,620 a year in May 2025. The average was $56,420, above the median — the two diverge when pay is unevenly distributed across the occupation.
What do the top 10% of Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics earn?
The 90th percentile is $81,790 a year, or $39.32 an hour. Only 10% of workers in the occupation earn more than this.
What do entry-level Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics earn?
The 10th percentile is $34,660 a year, or $16.66 an hour. One in ten workers in the occupation earns less than this. The BLS does not publish a separate starting-salary series.
How much do Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics make an hour?
The median hourly wage is $24.34, with the middle half of workers earning between $18.70 and $33.86 an hour.
How many jobs are there for Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics?
The BLS counts 704,640 jobs in the occupation, about 0.5% of the 155.5 million jobs covered by the survey.
Do these figures include self-employed workers?
No. The OEWS survey covers wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments. Self-employed workers, owners of unincorporated businesses, and some government and household workers are outside the survey.
Is that above the national median?
No. The median of $50,620 is 1% below the $50,980 median for all US workers.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 national estimates. Read the methodology.