BLS auto mechanic pay in every state, dealership vs independent shop pay, flat-rate pay converter and take-home after 2026 tax
Automotive service technicians and mechanics earned a median of $24.34 an hour in May 2025, $50,620 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' count of 704,640 on payrolls. Pay climbs steeply at the top: the 75th percentile is $33.86 and the 90th $39.32, against $16.66 at the bottom. BLS counts piece rates and production bonuses as wages, so flat-rate earnings are in these figures.
This is the BLS line for automotive service technicians and mechanics (SOC 49-3023) on employers' payrolls: cars and light trucks. Diesel, heavy-equipment and small-engine mechanics are separate lines, and the 15% who are self-employed aren't counted. Piece rates and production bonuses — how flat-rate pay works — are included in BLS wages; tool allowances are not (BLS OEWS FAQ). Take-home assumes a single filer with 2026 federal tax and FICA and no state tax.
| Pay level | Hourly | Annual | Monthly | Take-home a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $16.66 | $34,660 | $2,888 | $30,029 |
| 25th percentile | $18.70 | $38,900 | $3,242 | $33,436 |
| Median | $24.34 | $50,620 | $4,218 | $42,853 |
| 75th percentile | $33.86 | $70,430 | $5,869 | $58,378 |
| 90th percentile | $39.32 | $81,790 | $6,816 | $66,369 |
Washington, D.C. ($33.01), California ($31.24) and Colorado ($29.46) pay mechanics the most; West Virginia ($18.11) and Mississippi ($18.18) the least. Texas employs the most mechanics, 69,750, at $23.23, a little under the national median; California, nearly as large, pays $31.24.
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $33.01 | $68,660 | 310 |
| California | $31.24 | $64,980 | 65,420 |
| Colorado | $29.46 | $61,280 | 12,300 |
| Alaska | $29.25 | $60,840 | 1,420 |
| Massachusetts | $29.21 | $60,760 | 12,710 |
| Connecticut | $28.95 | $60,220 | 6,960 |
| Virginia | $28.53 | $59,330 | 17,880 |
| New Hampshire | $28.38 | $59,020 | 4,840 |
| Montana | $28.24 | $58,740 | 2,900 |
| Oregon | $28.14 | $58,520 | 6,990 |
| Delaware | $28.08 | $58,410 | 1,910 |
| Minnesota | $28.07 | $58,390 | 11,980 |
| Maryland | $27.66 | $57,520 | 14,230 |
| North Dakota | $27.58 | $57,360 | 2,140 |
| Washington | $27.54 | $57,270 | 12,930 |
| New Jersey | $27.22 | $56,610 | 17,640 |
| Wisconsin | $26.13 | $54,350 | 12,270 |
| Michigan | $26.02 | $54,120 | 22,280 |
| New York | $26.02 | $54,120 | 32,020 |
| Hawaii | $25.08 | $52,160 | 2,710 |
| Maine | $25.02 | $52,040 | 3,390 |
| Rhode Island | $24.89 | $51,770 | 2,530 |
| Vermont | $24.82 | $51,630 | 1,610 |
| Wyoming | $24.68 | $51,330 | 1,560 |
| South Dakota | $24.60 | $51,160 | 2,010 |
| Nebraska | $24.31 | $50,560 | 4,560 |
| Iowa | $24.28 | $50,510 | 7,610 |
| Tennessee | $24.18 | $50,290 | 16,210 |
| Pennsylvania | $23.94 | $49,800 | 29,400 |
| Arizona | $23.83 | $49,570 | 16,400 |
| Indiana | $23.73 | $49,360 | 16,480 |
| Illinois | $23.64 | $49,170 | 29,510 |
| Missouri | $23.63 | $49,160 | 17,210 |
| Georgia | $23.59 | $49,060 | 22,070 |
| Ohio | $23.42 | $48,710 | 22,640 |
| Idaho | $23.28 | $48,420 | 5,030 |
| Texas | $23.23 | $48,310 | 69,750 |
| Nevada | $23.22 | $48,290 | 7,420 |
| Florida | $23.20 | $48,260 | 49,930 |
| North Carolina | $23.17 | $48,200 | 26,510 |
| South Carolina | $23.12 | $48,100 | 13,420 |
| Kansas | $22.98 | $47,790 | 6,240 |
| New Mexico | $22.74 | $47,300 | 5,080 |
| Utah | $22.39 | $46,570 | 9,350 |
| Oklahoma | $22.38 | $46,560 | 8,870 |
| Louisiana | $22.31 | $46,400 | 8,620 |
| Alabama | $21.94 | $45,640 | 9,040 |
| Kentucky | $21.58 | $44,890 | 11,140 |
| Arkansas | $21.23 | $44,160 | 7,310 |
| Mississippi | $18.18 | $37,820 | 7,410 |
| West Virginia | $18.11 | $37,660 | 4,490 |
Dealerships pay mechanics the most, $59,920 — about $10,290 more than independent repair and maintenance shops ($49,630). Parts, accessories and tire retailers pay $45,700 and other automotive repair and maintenance businesses $35,730 (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook).
| Industry | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| Automobile dealers | $59,920 |
| Automotive mechanical and electrical repair and maintenance | $49,630 |
| Automotive parts, accessories, and tire retailers | $45,700 |
| Other automotive repair and maintenance | $35,730 |
Most service technicians work full time, and evening or weekend work may be required. They work in repair shops, often standing all day with heavy parts and in awkward positions, and have one of the highest injury rates of any occupation (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook). Automobile dealers employ 32% of mechanics, repair and maintenance shops 25%, and 15% are self-employed.
Where you work decides whether you get overtime. Federal law exempts mechanics servicing cars and trucks at businesses primarily engaged in selling vehicles to the people who buy them — dealerships — from overtime, though not from the minimum wage (DOL Handy Reference Guide to the FLSA). Mechanics at independent shops, tire and parts retailers and fleets are generally owed time and a half after 40 hours. Dealership or not, pay for the week — flat-rate included — must cover at least the federal minimum wage for the hours worked (DOL Handy Reference Guide to the FLSA).
Some shops pay by the hour, others by the work completed (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook) — usually a rate per flagged hour, the book time for each job. What that's worth depends on how many flagged hours you turn in each clock hour. The table shows the flat rate needed to match the BLS median hourly wage at different efficiencies, and what you'd earn per clock hour if your flat rate equaled that median. It's arithmetic, not a survey of shop rates.
| Flagged hours per clock hour | Flagged hours in a 40-hour week | Flat rate needed | Per clock hour if the flat rate is $24.34 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 75% | 30 | $32.45 | $18.25 |
| 100% | 40 | $24.34 | $24.34 |
| 125% | 50 | $19.47 | $30.43 |
| 150% | 60 | $16.23 | $36.51 |
Most mechanics complete an automotive service technology program at a high school, community college or technical institute, leading to a certificate or associate's degree; some programs are run with manufacturers or dealers. Others start as trainees or lube techs and learn on the job, and some do apprenticeships. The EPA requires certification to work with refrigerants, and employers may require or pay for industry certifications in areas such as brakes, transmissions and electrical systems, which the OOH says can bring higher pay (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook).
More ways to work with your mechanic pay:
$24.34 an hour ($50,620 a year) at the BLS median for May 2025. The middle half earned $18.70 to $33.86 an hour.
District of Columbia ($33.01 an hour, $68,660 a year), then California and Colorado; West Virginia pays least among the 51 states where BLS released a figure (BLS, May 2025).
Not under federal law. Mechanics servicing vehicles at dealerships primarily engaged in selling vehicles to end buyers are exempt from FLSA overtime, though they must still receive the minimum wage (DOL Handy Reference Guide to the FLSA). Independent-shop mechanics generally do get overtime after 40 hours.
On average, yes. In the Occupational Outlook Handbook's industry table, automobile dealers have the highest median for mechanics, ahead of repair and maintenance shops and parts and tire retailers. The table on this page has the figures.
Tax rules, limits and pay data change. Check the current figures with the primary source before acting on them.