Mechanics generally repair and maintain mechanical systems. This can cover a wide range of equipment, including; aircraft engines, industrial machinery, all types of vehicles, and much more. There are various types of mechanics that are specialists in their field, such as automotive mechanics, diesel mechanics, and aircraft mechanics to mention a few.
But generally speaking a mechanics work in the automotive field, carrying out repairs and maintenance on cars, vans, and light trucks. Carrying out a wide range of tasks including; identifying mechanical problems, fitting and testing new parts, performing care and maintenance to ensure vehicles are roadworthy, using specialist equipment to diagnose and resolve problems.
Mechanics Salary
Like with any industry, if you are looking into becoming a mechanic you will be wondering – how much do mechanics make ? Well, there are a few factors to take into account when looking at the pay scales but we can get an idea by looking at averages.
Looking across the US a mechanics starting salary is around $23,420. With the lowest 10% earning around amount, while the top 10% earned more than $66,950. The obvious width of this pay bracket is clear to see, but this is an industry where experience pays well.
The average mechanics salary is This is calculated by looking at the amount half of mechanics earned more than, and that half earned less than. Obviously the median calculation is a very rough estimate that a particular individual can expect to earn, but there is no better way to get an idea of the average.
Some of the factors that will have the largest impact on a mechanics salary include; the geographic location, an individual’s experience, the level of expertise, and in some instances the years served in the same job.
Top 5 Paying States
| Flag | State | Employment per 1000 Jobs | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Alaska | 3.32 | $30.86 | $64,180 |
 | Nevada | 1.78 | $29.25 | $60,840 |
 | Hawaii | 0.61 | $29.19 | $60,720 |
 | Illinois | 0.39 | $28.18 | $58,610 |
 | Wyoming | 5.58 | $27.60 | $57,410 |
Top Paying Industries
| Industry | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric Power Generation | 0.15 | $32.01 | $66,580 |
| Aerospace Parts Manufacturing | 0.03 | $31.18 | $64,860 |
| Scheduled Air Transportation | 0.02 | $30.07 | $62,550 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | – | $29.23 | $60,800 |
| Death Care Services | – | $29.11 | $60,550 |
Mechanic Job Description
You are probably wondering – what do mechanics do? Automotive mechanics repair and service automobiles, such as; trucks, buses, cars, bikes, and other forms of transport. They work in privately owned garages, vehicle dealerships, companies maintaining fleets of vehicles, transport companies, and vehicle breakdown response companies.
Some of the routine day-to-day tasks for a mechanic include road testing vehicles and identifying faults. As well as repairing and replacing faulty or worn parts, while maintaining a high degree of safety awareness. Along with this comes performing routine maintenance across a wide range of vehicle types, such as; replacing filters, performing oil changes, cleaning fuel systems, changing tires, and carrying out a checklist of safety checks.
A mechanic needs to be able to work alone, as well as part of a team. Have a high level of safety awareness, and be able to exercise common sense to ensure the safety of others. There is a great deal of knowledge to be obtained over the years, and this will have to be continually developed as new technology is rolled out on new vehicle models.
One of the key areas to be aware of is safety and responsibility. A mechanic is responsible for owner’s vehicles being safe to drive on the road, any mistakes can prove costly to the person driving the vehicle. Not just in a monetary sense, but there is a serious risk of injury if a vehicle is not roadworthy.
Education and Training
The minimum requirement to work as a mechanic is typically a high school diploma or equivalent. Many schools offer courses covering the basics of mechanics, and this offers a good platform for many to get started. Postsecondary training programs in automotive servicing is considered desirable by most employers for entry-level positions.
Most of the training is practical on-the-job training, this is an effective way to learn due to the hands-on nature of a mechanics job. A mechanic is generally considered experienced after 2 years working on the job. Many of the main dealers and automobile manufactures have their own training programs, students are typically allowed time to spend in classes working on learning specific tasks.
Mechanics Career Prospects
There is a lot of potential for promotion within a mechanics career. If working for a large dealership there is the potential to move to another branch, or further their career path by becoming a supervisor.
A lot of experienced mechanics open their own garages after becoming highly skilled and qualified by working in the industry for many years. This gives them the freedom to manage a team of people, look after the financial affairs of the business, and profit more if their garage is successful.
Mechanic Salary by State
| Flag | State | Employment per 1000 Jobs | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Alabama | 1.633 | $21.60 | $44,940 |
| Alaska | 3.323 | $30.86 | $64,180 |
 | Arizona | 1.571 | $23.49 | $48,860 |
 | Arkansas | 0.822 | $18.60 | $38,680 |
 | California | 0.655 | $27.13 | $56,430 |
 | Colorado | 1.167 | $23.10 | $48,050 |
 | Connecticut | 0.51 | $26.76 | $55,650 |
 | Delaware | 0.858 | $22.78 | $47,380 |
 | Florida | 0.655 | $20.67 | $43,000 |
 | Georgia | 0.643 | $21.37 | $44,450 |
| Hawaii | 0.607 | $29.19 | $60,720 |
 | Idaho | 1.005 | $21.96 | $45,670 |
| Illinois | 0.395 | $28.18 | $58,610 |
 | Indiana | 0.788 | $22.91 | $47,640 |
 | Iowa | 0.952 | $20.98 | $43,630 |
 | Kansas | 1.094 | $22.64 | $47,090 |
 | Kentucky | 1.61 | $21.86 | $45,470 |
 | Louisiana | 1.798 | $20.97 | $43,620 |
 | Maine | 1.765 | $20.71 | $43,090 |
 | Maryland | 0.926 | $24.64 | $51,250 |
 | Massachusetts | 0.419 | $27.07 | $56,300 |
 | Michigan | 0.572 | $22.30 | $46,380 |
 | Minnesota | 1.488 | $25.19 | $52,400 |
 | Mississippi | 0.963 | $20.69 | $43,030 |
 | Missouri | 0.865 | $23.60 | $49,080 |
 | Montana | 2.251 | $23.92 | $49,750 |
 | Nebraska | 1.042 | $20.48 | $42,600 |
| Nevada | 1.783 | $29.25 | $60,840 |
 | New Hampshire | 0.728 | $22.74 | $47,300 |
 | New Jersey | 0.553 | $25.83 | $53,730 |
 | New Mexico | 0.947 | $21.12 | $43,940 |
 | New York | 0.295 | $25.89 | $53,860 |
 | North Carolina | 0.856 | $20.42 | $42,480 |
 | North Dakota | 2.658 | $27.31 | $56,810 |
 | Ohio | 0.589 | $21.53 | $44,780 |
 | Oklahoma | 1.136 | $20.51 | $42,660 |
 | Oregon | 0.998 | $23.70 | $49,300 |
 | Pennsylvania | 0.763 | $23.10 | $48,050 |
 | Rhode Island | 0.921 | $24.67 | $51,310 |
 | South Carolina | 1.164 | $23.57 | $49,030 |
 | South Dakota | 1.502 | $22.69 | $47,190 |
 | Tennessee | 0.926 | $19.69 | $40,950 |
 | Texas | 1.253 | $22.17 | $46,120 |
 | Utah | 1.326 | $25.24 | $52,500 |
 | Vermont | 0.723 | $20.99 | $43,650 |
 | Virginia | 0.876 | $22.20 | $46,180 |
 | Washington | 0.975 | $25.31 | $52,650 |
 | West Virginia | 2.898 | $21.81 | $45,370 |
 | Wisconsin | 0.879 | $23.16 | $48,170 |
| Wyoming | 5.585 | $27.60 | $57,410 |
Top paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Employment per 1000 jobs | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Luis Obispo / Paso Robles – CA | 0.91 | $33.16 | $68,970 |
| San Francisco/San Mateo/Redwood City – CA, Metropolitan Division | 0.28 | $32.04 | $66,640 |
| Worcester – MA/CT | 0.46 | $31.86 | $66,270 |
| Honolulu, HI | 0.45 | $31.84 | $66,230 |
| Oakland/Fremont/Hayward – CA, Metropolitan Division | 0.75 | $31.06 | $64,610 |
Top paying non-metropolitan areas
| Area | Employment per 1000 jobs | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| West – Central North Dakota – nonmetropolitan area | 4.86 | $33.19 | $69,040 |
| Southeast Alaska – nonmetropolitan area | 2.27 | $32.67 | $67,960 |
| Railbelt – Southwest Alaska – nonmetropolitan area | 6.63 | $31.27 | $65,050 |
| Nevada – nonmetropolitan area | 26.22 | $30.41 | $63,260 |
| Northeastern Wyoming – nonmetropolitan area | 12.68 | $30.38 | $63,180 |
