The typical auto mechanic in the U.S. earns $24.34 an hour (2025 median). Where you live matters: mechanics in San Jose earn $37.42, 66% more than in Oklahoma City ($22.51). Because labor is often the biggest part of a repair bill, those wage differences show up in what shops charge per hour.
Median mechanic pay in 49 large metros
| # | Metro area | Median hourly wage | Top 10% earn at least | vs. U.S. median | Mechanics employed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose | $37.42 | $48.92 | +54% | 3,040 | |
| 2 | San Francisco | $36.55 | $51.96 | +50% | 7,270 | |
| 3 | Sacramento | $34.63 | $46.17 | +42% | 4,870 | |
| 4 | San Diego | $30.92 | $41.66 | +27% | 4,910 | |
| 5 | Riverside | $30.87 | $45.13 | +27% | 7,680 | |
| 6 | Boston | $30.32 | $47.69 | +25% | 9,360 | |
| 7 | Los Angeles | $30.20 | $43.70 | +24% | 22,330 | |
| 8 | Milwaukee | $30.06 | $42.91 | +24% | 3,170 | |
| 9 | Denver | $29.79 | $45.67 | +22% | 6,340 | |
| 10 | Washington, DC | $29.74 | $46.86 | +22% | 12,030 | |
| 11 | Richmond | $29.57 | $39.35 | +21% | 2,930 | |
| 12 | Minneapolis | $29.08 | $44.46 | +19% | 7,180 | |
| 13 | Portland, OR | $29.06 | $44.86 | +19% | 4,180 | |
| 14 | Seattle | $28.50 | $47.69 | +17% | 6,860 | |
| 15 | Hartford | $28.32 | $37.51 | +16% | 2,160 | |
| 16 | Nashville | $28.22 | $39.27 | +16% | 5,150 | |
| 17 | Philadelphia | $28.11 | $39.26 | +15% | 12,700 | |
| 18 | Virginia Beach | $28.02 | $38.51 | +15% | 3,560 | |
| 19 | St. Louis | $27.98 | $37.57 | +15% | 7,590 | |
| 20 | New York | $27.77 | $45.35 | +14% | 28,420 | |
| 21 | Baltimore | $27.71 | $38.85 | +14% | 6,340 | |
| 22 | Columbus | $27.00 | $41.15 | +11% | 3,920 | |
| 23 | Detroit | $26.92 | $39.06 | +11% | 9,520 | |
| 24 | Chicago | $26.60 | $44.45 | +9% | 20,140 | |
| 25 | Kansas City | $25.86 | $38.87 | +6% | 5,380 | |
| 26 | Charlotte | $25.80 | $42.37 | +6% | 7,990 | |
| 27 | Providence | $24.99 | $38.32 | +3% | 3,700 | |
| 28 | Jacksonville | $24.77 | $37.76 | +2% | 4,160 | |
| 29 | Atlanta | $24.73 | $44.00 | +2% | 12,310 | |
| 30 | Houston | $24.49 | $39.99 | +1% | 14,910 | |
| 31 | Austin | $24.33 | $45.26 | -0% | 5,210 | |
| 32 | Raleigh | $24.33 | $40.00 | -0% | 3,650 | |
| 33 | Indianapolis | $24.30 | $38.49 | -0% | 5,600 | |
| 34 | Memphis | $24.27 | $39.60 | -0% | 2,980 | |
| 35 | Phoenix | $24.08 | $39.70 | -1% | 11,340 | |
| 36 | Dallas–Fort Worth | $23.90 | $44.84 | -2% | 17,690 | |
| 37 | Miami | $23.82 | $39.18 | -2% | 11,970 | |
| 38 | New Orleans | $23.65 | $38.67 | -3% | 1,610 | |
| 39 | Cincinnati | $23.60 | $38.85 | -3% | 4,520 | |
| 40 | Pittsburgh | $23.51 | $37.60 | -3% | 6,430 | |
| 41 | Buffalo | $23.34 | $36.05 | -4% | 2,590 | |
| 42 | Tampa | $23.02 | $38.28 | -5% | 7,380 | |
| 43 | Birmingham | $23.00 | $42.38 | -6% | 2,220 | |
| 44 | Orlando | $23.00 | $37.48 | -6% | 6,480 | |
| 45 | Las Vegas | $22.91 | $39.46 | -6% | 4,970 | |
| 46 | Louisville | $22.81 | $37.10 | -6% | 3,640 | |
| 47 | Salt Lake City | $22.73 | $37.74 | -7% | 3,910 | |
| 48 | San Antonio | $22.54 | $38.87 | -7% | 6,320 | |
| 49 | Oklahoma City | $22.51 | $40.32 | -8% | 3,340 |
Where the mechanics are
These 49 metros employ about 361,950 automotive service technicians. The biggest job markets: New York (28,420), Los Angeles (22,330), Chicago (20,140), Dallas–Fort Worth (17,690), Houston (14,910). Big markets aren't always the best-paid: New York ranks #20 of 49 on median pay.
How wide the pay range is
The "top 10%" column shows the pay line the best-paid tenth of mechanics clear. The gap is widest in Dallas–Fort Worth (+88%), Austin (+86%), Birmingham (+84%), so where you take the car (a dealer, a specialist or an independent shop) matters more for your bill in those metros.
Why a shop's labor rate is higher than the mechanic's wage
The hourly rate on your invoice covers much more than the technician's pay: the building, lifts and diagnostic equipment, insurance, service writers, and the hours a mechanic works but can't bill. That's why shop rates run several times the wage. The table is most useful for comparing places: if mechanics in your metro earn 20% above the national median, expect labor quotes to run high too.
Method
Median hourly wage for occupation code 49-3023 (Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics) from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, 2025 release, for each metropolitan statistical area. A metro is left out if BLS didn't publish a value for it. See also how fast repair prices are rising.
Source: BLS OEWS, SOC 49-3023, retrieved 2026-09-23. Free to cite with a link.