Widespread Auto Technician Pay Disparities
Auto Technician Pay Varies Widely Across States Amid Growing Industry Labor Shortages
Anonymous
Bureau of Labor Statistics figures cited in the articles show auto-mechanic wages vary widely: nationally, the lowest-paid 10% earn $16.66 an hour, compared with more than $39.32 for the highest-paid 10%. Mean hourly wages are $29.62 in Virginia (eighth-highest), $28.12 in Delaware (16th-highest), $27.21 in Georgia (20th-highest), $26.24 in Ohio (20th-lowest), $25.72 in North Carolina (13th-lowest), and $24.35 in Louisiana (fifth-lowest). Low compensation is cited as the leading reason for technician shortages by 24% of shop owners and 67% of technicians, and 46% of shop owners expect the shortage to worsen. The articles say shops need competitive wages to recruit and retain technicians, and distinguish technicians’ pay from the hourly labor rates charged to customers.
Key Points
1
The articles list Washington, D.C., as the highest-paying location for auto mechanics, with mean hourly pay of $32.65.
2
The articles note that shops may charge customers much more than they pay technicians, giving $175 per hour as an example of a customer-facing labor rate.
3
Beyond pay, shop owners cited poor public perceptions of the trade, limited access to training, and other industries poaching workers as additional factors behind difficulty finding technicians.
4
One article cautions that a raise may not be enough to retain a technician if it merely keeps pace with an existing pay gap rather than closing it.
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