Diesel mechanic salary: what diesel mechanics actually make
BLS employer-survey wages for 289,960 bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists nationwide, plus the union scale contractors must pay on federal jobs.
What bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists earn: the full range
The middle half of bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists earn between $24.30 and $36.29 an hour. The top 10% earn more than $42.66 ($88,740 a year); the bottom 10% earn less than $21.41.
| Career stage (approximate) | Hourly | Annual | Where it sits in the distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice / entry | $21.41 – $24.30 | $44,530 – $50,540 | roughly the 10th–25th percentile |
| Journeyman | $24.30 – $36.29 | $50,540 – $75,470 | the middle half, around the median |
| Master / foreman / specialist | $36.29 – $42.66 | $75,470 – $88,740 | the 75th–90th percentile and above |
Career-stage bands are an approximate reading of the wage distribution, not a BLS classification. Union journeyman scale by county is in the prevailing-wage section below.
Diesel mechanic pay by state
Table
| State | Median $/hr | vs US |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $38.50 | 30% above |
| Washington | $37.45 | 26% above |
| Alaska | $36.34 | 22% above |
| Maryland | $35.96 | 21% above |
| California | $35.55 | 20% above |
| Massachusetts | $35.23 | 19% above |
| New Jersey | $34.78 | 17% above |
| New Hampshire | $34.32 | 16% above |
| Colorado | $33.89 | 14% above |
| New York | $33.70 | 13% above |
| Nevada | $32.89 | 11% above |
| Connecticut | $32.36 | 9% above |
| Rhode Island | $32.34 | 9% above |
| Minnesota | $32.14 | 8% above |
| North Dakota | $31.78 | 7% above |
| District of Columbia | $31.34 | 6% above |
| Utah | $30.94 | 4% above |
| Illinois | $30.93 | 4% above |
| Oregon | $30.76 | 4% above |
| Delaware | $30.57 | 3% above |
| Wisconsin | $30.02 | 1% above |
| Pennsylvania | $29.68 | about the same as |
| Arizona | $29.65 | about the same as |
| Wyoming | $29.61 | about the same as |
| Michigan | $29.53 | 1% below |
| Georgia | $29.50 | 1% below |
| Virginia | $29.37 | 1% below |
| Maine | $29.26 | 1% below |
| Indiana | $29.14 | 2% below |
| Florida | $29.08 | 2% below |
| Ohio | $29.07 | 2% below |
| Montana | $28.84 | 3% below |
| Iowa | $28.69 | 3% below |
| Kansas | $28.59 | 4% below |
| Vermont | $28.55 | 4% below |
| Missouri | $28.54 | 4% below |
| South Carolina | $28.53 | 4% below |
| Idaho | $28.48 | 4% below |
| Tennessee | $28.46 | 4% below |
| Nebraska | $28.44 | 4% below |
| Texas | $28.27 | 5% below |
| Louisiana | $28.21 | 5% below |
| South Dakota | $27.94 | 6% below |
| North Carolina | $27.64 | 7% below |
| New Mexico | $26.88 | 9% below |
| Kentucky | $26.67 | 10% below |
| Oklahoma | $26.61 | 10% below |
| Mississippi | $26.14 | 12% below |
| Arkansas | $25.16 | 15% below |
| Alabama | $24.26 | 18% below |
| West Virginia | $22.41 | 25% below |
| State | Median $/hr | Cost-of-living adjusted | Adjusted rank | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $38.50 | $35.00 | #3 | 690 |
| Washington | $37.45 | $35.00 | #4 | 7,410 |
| Alaska | $36.34 | $35.49 | #2 | 860 |
| Maryland | $35.96 | $34.25 | #5 | 3,030 |
| California | $35.55 | $32.11 | #12 | 20,940 |
| Massachusetts | $35.23 | $33.30 | #6 | 4,870 |
| New Jersey | $34.78 | $31.97 | #14 | 8,160 |
| New Hampshire | $34.32 | $32.94 | #7 | 1,040 |
| Colorado | $33.89 | $32.87 | #9 | 4,600 |
| New York | $33.70 | $31.23 | #25 | 13,230 |
| Nevada | $32.89 | $32.89 | #8 | 1,990 |
| Connecticut | $32.36 | $31.24 | #24 | 2,860 |
| Rhode Island | $32.34 | $31.61 | #18 | 350 |
| Minnesota | $32.14 | $32.60 | #11 | 7,300 |
| North Dakota | $31.78 | $35.71 | #1 | 1,790 |
| District of Columbia | $31.34 | $28.52 | #48 | 110 |
| Utah | $30.94 | $31.28 | #23 | 2,690 |
| Illinois | $30.93 | $30.93 | #28 | 11,320 |
| Oregon | $30.76 | $29.75 | #39 | 3,770 |
| Delaware | $30.57 | $30.63 | #31 | 670 |
| Wisconsin | $30.02 | $31.90 | #16 | 6,750 |
| Pennsylvania | $29.68 | $30.41 | #34 | 12,630 |
| Arizona | $29.65 | $29.44 | #41 | 5,140 |
| Wyoming | $29.61 | $31.94 | #15 | 1,100 |
| Michigan | $29.53 | $30.70 | #29 | 9,020 |
| Georgia | $29.50 | $30.63 | #30 | 10,910 |
| Virginia | $29.37 | $29.05 | #46 | 8,070 |
| Maine | $29.26 | $30.16 | #36 | 1,380 |
| Indiana | $29.14 | $31.23 | #26 | 8,840 |
| Florida | $29.08 | $28.12 | #49 | 14,900 |
| Ohio | $29.07 | $31.33 | #22 | 14,240 |
| Montana | $28.84 | $30.49 | #32 | 1,230 |
| Iowa | $28.69 | $32.68 | #10 | 4,140 |
| Kansas | $28.59 | $31.73 | #17 | 3,300 |
| Vermont | $28.55 | $29.13 | #44 | 550 |
| Missouri | $28.54 | $31.43 | #21 | 6,780 |
| South Carolina | $28.53 | $30.45 | #33 | 3,360 |
| Idaho | $28.48 | $29.82 | #38 | 1,930 |
| Tennessee | $28.46 | $30.97 | #27 | 5,720 |
| Nebraska | $28.44 | $31.56 | #19 | 2,720 |
| Texas | $28.27 | $29.11 | #45 | 29,870 |
| Louisiana | $28.21 | $31.98 | #13 | 3,270 |
| South Dakota | $27.94 | $31.53 | #20 | 1,340 |
| North Carolina | $27.64 | $29.31 | #42 | 11,070 |
| New Mexico | $26.88 | $29.15 | #43 | 1,740 |
| Kentucky | $26.67 | $29.57 | #40 | 3,890 |
| Oklahoma | $26.61 | $30.31 | #35 | 3,970 |
| Mississippi | $26.14 | $30.05 | #37 | 3,140 |
| Arkansas | $25.16 | $28.95 | #47 | 4,090 |
| Alabama | $24.26 | $27.32 | #50 | 6,130 |
| West Virginia | $22.41 | $25.04 | #51 | 1,040 |
Diesel mechanic wages over time
Table
| Year | Nominal $/hr | In 2025 $ | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | $14.77 | $28.54 | 273,320 |
| 2000 | $15.55 | $29.07 | 258,800 |
| 2001 | $16.14 | $29.34 | 254,420 |
| 2002 | $16.53 | $29.58 | 254,470 |
| 2003 | $16.81 | $29.41 | 248,450 |
| 2004 | $17.20 | $29.31 | 251,430 |
| 2005 | $17.61 | $29.03 | 248,280 |
| 2006 | $18.11 | $28.92 | 254,850 |
| 2007 | $18.58 | $28.85 | 250,370 |
| 2008 | $18.94 | $28.32 | 248,620 |
| 2009 | $19.35 | $29.04 | 232,810 |
| 2010 | $19.64 | $29.00 | 222,770 |
| 2011 | $20.02 | $28.65 | 222,940 |
| 2012 | $20.35 | $28.54 | 230,030 |
| 2013 | $20.54 | $28.39 | 238,150 |
| 2014 | $20.98 | $28.53 | 243,080 |
| 2015 | $21.40 | $29.07 | 251,750 |
| 2016 | $21.72 | $29.13 | 254,280 |
| 2017 | $22.29 | $29.28 | 260,380 |
| 2018 | $22.76 | $29.18 | 264,860 |
| 2019 | $23.32 | $29.37 | 266,330 |
| 2020 | $24.13 | $30.02 | 253,010 |
| 2021 | $23.41 | $27.81 | 261,420 |
| 2022 | $26.14 | $28.76 | 271,720 |
| 2023 | $28.35 | $29.95 | 285,030 |
| 2024 | $29.15 | $29.92 | 287,230 |
| 2025 | $29.70 | $29.70 | 289,960 |
Adjusted for inflation, the median diesel mechanic wage changed by +2.2% over the last ten years.
Highest-paying metros for diesel mechanics
| Metro | Median $/hr | 90th pct | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $42.78 | $54.54 | 720 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $40.89 | $47.98 | 540 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $39.58 | $55.56 | 3,740 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $39.47 | $50.74 | 1,730 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $37.20 | $46.04 | 6,520 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $36.43 | $49.93 | 3,110 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $36.43 | $45.35 | 12,430 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $36.09 | $45.92 | 1,430 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $35.80 | $44.00 | 1,670 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $35.45 | $45.25 | 4,290 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $35.00 | $47.18 | 2,770 |
| Savannah, GA | $34.99 | $40.99 | 1,260 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $34.93 | $45.39 | 1,190 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $34.89 | $46.66 | 2,910 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $34.61 | $43.61 | 2,330 |
Job outlook
The BLS Employment Projections program expects bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists employment to change by +3.6% over 2025-35, with about 24,400 openings a year from growth and people leaving the occupation. Typical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Compare diesel mechanic pay with other trades
Questions this page answers
How much do diesel mechanics make?
The median diesel mechanic earned $29.70 an hour, or $61,770 a year, in May 2025 according to the BLS employer survey of 289,960 jobs. Half earn more and half earn less; the middle 50% earn between $24.30 and $36.29 an hour.
How much do diesel mechanics make an hour?
Hourly pay runs from about $21.41 at the 10th percentile to $42.66 at the 90th, with a median of $29.70. Overtime, per-diem and union fringe benefits are not included in these figures.
What does a starting or apprentice diesel mechanic make?
Entry-level pay sits near the bottom of the distribution: roughly $21.41 to $24.30 an hour ($44,530 to $50,540 a year). Registered apprentices usually start at a fixed percentage of the local journeyman rate and step up every six to twelve months.
Which state pays diesel mechanics the most?
Hawaii had the highest median at $38.50 an hour in May 2025, followed by Washington ($37.45) and Alaska ($36.34). Adjusted for cost of living the order changes; see the state table.
Are diesel mechanic wages going up?
In today's dollars the median diesel mechanic wage changed by +2.2% over the last ten years of data (CPI-adjusted). The nominal median rose from $21.40 to $29.70.
Is diesel mechanic a good career?
By the numbers: median pay of $61,770 a year, a 90th percentile of $88,740, projected growth of +3.6% and about 24,400 openings a year. Whether it fits you depends on the work itself; this site only reports the pay and demand data.
Sources and notes
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 49-3031 (Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists). Wages exclude overtime and benefits.
- Inflation adjustment: BLS CPI-U annual averages, 2025 base.
- Cost-of-living adjustment: BEA Regional Price Parities, all items, latest year.
- Prevailing wage: SAM.gov Davis-Bacon wage determinations, current revisions. Not the official determination.
- BLS Employment Projections, national. Public-domain data; Skilled Wages is not affiliated with BLS.