A Mechanic’s Job is Hard, they need to get paid. If you are hiring mechanics make sure you are paying them a fair rate, if you are a mechanic, see below to ensure you are getting what you deserve.
One of the first questions I get when talking to a mechanic about a new job is “How Much Does It Pay?” No one goes to work for free so it makes a ton of sense that this would be the first question. The standard answer, that no one likes is, “well that depends.”
Pay rate depends on a lot of things that you bring to the table such as; Skill, Experience, Training/Certification, How Well You Interview (we can help you on that) but one of the biggest factors is Location.
Below is a map of Average Pay Rates for Mechanics across the USA
So you can see someone in Montana can expect under $19/hr but that same person with the same skill set and experience would fetch over $25/hr in Alaska. Keep in mind that this is done State by State, there are huge regional differences inside of each State, for example Texas averages $21-$22/hr but in Dallas you can expect $25/hr. The above chart is also just an average, what about someone who is maybe newer to the trade? The below is a chart of average wage rates for more entry level mechanics with only 1-2 years of experience.
On the flip side, what about more experienced technicians? The below is average rate for more experienced mechanics with 5+ years of experience wrenching.
On top of the differences for experience and region there is also type of mechanic. The US National Average for a Mechanic is $21.50/hour but Mechanic is a pretty broad term you have Automotive Mechanics, Diesel Mechanics, Marine Mechanics, Maintenance Mechanics etc. Here are the national averages for some of the more popular types of Mechanics:
AUTOMOTIVE MECHANIC – $19.24/HR
DIESEL MECHANIC – $21.38/HR
HEAVY EQUIPMENT MECHANIC – $22.50/hr
MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN (MILLWRIGHT) – $22.00/hr
So what does this all mean? Well the answer to “How Much Does it Pay” is still “It Depends” but we have a little bit of clarity on what it depends on. If you are looking for the biggest bucks go to North Dakota, Alaska or Louisiana and be a Heavy Equipment Mechanic.
So are you getting paid what you deserve? Or if you run a shop, are you paying your Mechanics what they deserve? Paying an honest wage is the first step to retaining good mechanics.
If you are not getting paid what you deserve or just need a change give us a call at 1-833-762-5787 or visit our site to see how Rockstar Mechanics can help you land a high paying good mechanic job.
Great post, thanks for sharing. Picked up some good and valuable insight