CDCareer Decision

Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics Career, Salary and Skills

Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $50,620 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 704,640. Wage data is published for 446 locations.

Open the decision dashboard

Occupation description

Diagnose, adjust, repair, or overhaul automotive vehicles.

O*NET code

49-3023.00

Job zone

3

Typical education

Not recorded

Experience

Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years

National salary and employment

Median annual

$50,620

Hourly median

$24.34

Employment

704,640

Data year

2025

National salary distribution

$34,660
10th
$38,900
25th
$50,620
Median
$70,430
75th
$81,790
90th

Top skills

SkillImportanceLevel
Troubleshooting3.883.88
Repairing3.883.88
Equipment Maintenance3.753.62
Critical Thinking3.503.75
Operations Monitoring3.383.12
Complex Problem Solving3.253.12
Installation3.253.38
Active Listening3.253.00
Operation and Control3.253.00
Quality Control Analysis3.253.25
All skill ratings →

Typical tasks

  • Test and adjust repaired systems to meet manufacturers' performance specifications.
  • Perform routine and scheduled maintenance services, such as oil changes, lubrications, and tune-ups.
  • Inspect vehicles for damage and record findings so that necessary repairs can be made.
  • Align wheels, axles, frames, torsion bars, and steering mechanisms of automobiles, using special alignment equipment and wheel-balancing machines.
  • Repair, reline, replace, and adjust brakes.
  • Repair, replace, or adjust defective fuel injectors, carburetor parts, and gasoline filters.
  • Align vehicles' front ends.
  • Follow checklists to ensure all important parts are examined, including belts, hoses, steering systems, spark plugs, brake and fuel systems, wheel bearings, and other potentially troublesome areas.
All task statements →

Technology

  • Alliance Automotive Shop Controller
  • Amcom AUTOS2000
  • Apple Safari
  • AutoZone ALLDATA
  • Blue Streak Electronics Buell Diagnostic
  • CODA Engine Analysis System
  • Database software
  • Estimating software
  • Genisys Fast Fixes
  • Hunter WinAlign
  • IBM Notes
  • Mainsaver Asset Management
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Microsoft Excel
All technology →

Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics salary by location

Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.

All 446 locations →

Related careers

Analyze this careerCompare with another careerExplore your skill gapCompare locations

Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.