Trade hub · BLS OEWS May 2025
Auto Mechanic
The short answer
Auto mechanics earn a median $50,620 per year nationally, with the middle half between $38,900 and $70,430. Employment is projected to grow +4.2% by 2034, with about 70,000 openings a year. 47 states require no license at all for this trade. The credential that carries weight is industry certification rather than a state card.
Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul automotive vehicles.
National wage distribution. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025 (SOC 49-3023)
Where the pay is
The gap between states is wide: California pays about 73% more than West Virginia at the median. Cost of living closes part of that gap. In licensed states the credential itself also travels differently across borders, which changes what a move is worth.
| State | Median /yr | Licensing |
|---|---|---|
| California | $64,980 | Contractor level only |
| Colorado | $61,280 | Not licensed |
| Alaska | $60,840 | Not licensed |
| Massachusetts | $60,760 | Not licensed |
| Connecticut | $60,220 | Not licensed |
| ⋯ 40 states ⋯ | ||
| Alabama | $45,640 | Not licensed |
| Kentucky | $44,890 | Not licensed |
| Arkansas | $44,160 | Not licensed |
| Mississippi | $37,820 | Not licensed |
| West Virginia | $37,660 | Not licensed |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · licensing per state boards, verified July 2026
Outlook to 2034
BLS projects employment moving from 805,600 in 2024 to 839,200 in 2034 (+4.2%). Typical entry-level education: postsecondary nondegree award. Annual openings run near 70,000. That figure counts both new positions and replacements for workers leaving the occupation, which is why it exceeds the growth number. The 2024 figure here is larger than the employment count in the summary above because these are two different BLS programs: the summary counts jobs surveyed at employers, while the projections program also counts the self-employed, and this trade has a lot of them.
Licensing
47 states require no license at all for this trade. The credential that carries weight is industry certification rather than a state card.
Comparing states rather than reading one at a time:
- Which states require an auto mechanic license, and what replaces one where none exists
Price a credential with the license cost estimator, weigh training paths with the apprenticeship vs. school calculator, or set this trade against others in your state with the salary comparison.
Trades that pay similarly
CNC Machinist at $50,690, Solar PV Installer at $53,140, Welder at $53,750, CDL Truck Driver at $58,640. Full list on the trades index.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (SOC 49-3023) and Employment Projections 2024–2034.
- O*NET 30.1 occupation description (U.S. Department of Labor).
- State licensing boards, compiled and verified July 2026 — sources listed on each state page.
How figures are computed: methodology