Trade hub · BLS OEWS May 2025
Diesel Mechanic
The short answer
Diesel mechanics earn a median $61,770 per year nationally, with the middle half between $50,540 and $75,470. Employment is projected to grow +2.4% by 2034, with about 26,500 openings a year. 48 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 buses and trucks, or maintain and repair any type of diesel engines. Includes mechanics working primarily with automobile or marine diesel engines.
National wage distribution. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025 (SOC 49-3031)
Where the pay is
The gap between states is wide: Hawaii pays about 72% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $80,080 | Statewide |
| Washington | $77,900 | Not licensed |
| Alaska | $75,580 | Not licensed |
| Maryland | $74,790 | Not licensed |
| California | $73,950 | Not licensed |
| ⋯ 40 states ⋯ | ||
| Oklahoma | $55,340 | Not licensed |
| Mississippi | $54,360 | Not licensed |
| Arkansas | $52,330 | Not licensed |
| Alabama | $50,470 | Not licensed |
| West Virginia | $46,610 | Not licensed |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · licensing per state boards, verified July 2026
Outlook to 2034
BLS projects employment moving from 319,900 in 2024 to 327,700 in 2034 (+2.4%). Typical entry-level education: high school diploma or equivalent. Annual openings run near 26,500. 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
48 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 a diesel 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
HVAC Technician at $61,010, Carpenter at $60,580, Electrician at $63,190, Plumber at $63,800. Full list on the trades index.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (SOC 49-3031) 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