How much do diesel mechanics make?

Diesel Mechanic salary 2026 · BLS occupation: Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists (SOC 49-3031) · Updated October 28, 2026

Answer

Diesel mechanics in the US earned a median of $61,770 a year ($29.70 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned $50,540 to $75,470.

Median annual pay: $61,770; Mean $64,320
Median hourly pay: $29.70; Mean $30.92
Typical range (10th–90th): $44.5K–$88.7K; $44,530 to $88,740
US jobs: 289,960; +3.6% projected, 2025–35

BLS OEWS, May 2025, released April 30, 2026. Wages include tips, commissions and production bonuses but not overtime premiums, shift differentials, other bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers are not included. Methodology

How to become a diesel mechanic: steps, years and cost · Best-paying state after cost of living: North Dakota

Diesel Mechanic pay range

Annual wages, May 2025

10th percentile$44,530
25th percentile$50,540
Median$61,770
75th percentile$75,470
90th percentile$88,740

Half of all diesel mechanics earned more than $61,770 and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10% made under $44,530; the top 10% made over $88,740. The middle 50%, from the 25th to the 75th percentile, ran from $50,540 to $75,470.

These percentiles describe everyone in the occupation at one time. They are not pay steps by years of experience: they mix new and senior workers, different states, employers and hours. Pay generally rises with experience, credentials and specialization, but BLS does not publish pay by experience.

Percentile	Annual	Hourly	Monthly
10th	$44,530	$21.41	$3,711
25th	$50,540	$24.30	$4,212
Median (50th)	$61,770	$29.70	$5,148
75th	$75,470	$36.29	$6,289
90th	$88,740	$42.66	$7,395
Mean (average)	$64,320	$30.92	$5,360

Diesel Mechanic salary by state

Median annual pay; cost of living from BEA regional price parities 2024

Median annual pay for diesel mechanics by state. Darker tiles pay more.

Highest-paying states

1. Hawaii $80,080
2. Washington $77,900
3. Alaska $75,580
4. Maryland $74,790
5. California $73,950

Lowest-paying states

51. West Virginia $46,610
50. Alabama $50,470
49. Arkansas $52,330
48. Mississippi $54,360
47. Oklahoma $55,340

Best after cost of living: North Dakota. Its median of $66,110 is worth about $74,315 at national-average prices, more than in Hawaii once prices are counted.


Alabama	$50,470	50	$56,821	50	$24.26	6,130	2.90
Alaska	$75,580	3	$73,838	2	$36.34	860	2.63
Arizona	$61,680	23	$61,265	41	$29.65	5,140	1.59
Arkansas	$52,330	49	$60,193	47	$25.16	4,090	3.14
California	$73,950	5	$66,790	12	$35.55	20,940	1.15
Colorado	$70,480	9	$68,393	9	$33.89	4,600	1.60
Connecticut	$67,300	12	$64,955	24	$32.36	2,860	1.69
Delaware	$63,590	20	$63,712	31	$30.57	670	1.38
District of Columbia	$65,200	16	$59,326	48	$31.34	110	0.16
Florida	$60,490	30	$58,493	49	$29.08	14,900	1.50
Georgia	$61,370	26	$63,733	30	$29.50	10,910	2.23
Hawaii	$80,080	1	$72,832	3	$38.50	690	1.10
Idaho	$59,230	38	$62,025	38	$28.48	1,930	2.25
Illinois	$64,340	18	$64,367	28	$30.93	11,320	1.86
Indiana	$60,610	29	$64,942	26	$29.14	8,840	2.76
Iowa	$59,680	33	$68,002	10	$28.69	4,140	2.66
Kansas	$59,460	34	$66,017	17	$28.59	3,300	2.29
Kentucky	$55,480	46	$61,536	40	$26.67	3,890	1.94
Louisiana	$58,680	42	$66,525	13	$28.21	3,270	1.69
Maine	$60,850	28	$62,700	36	$29.26	1,380	2.15
Maryland	$74,790	4	$71,256	5	$35.96	3,030	1.10
Massachusetts	$73,270	6	$69,281	6	$35.23	4,870	1.34
Michigan	$61,420	25	$63,835	29	$29.53	9,020	2.05
Minnesota	$66,840	14	$67,775	11	$32.14	7,300	2.48
Mississippi	$54,360	48	$62,517	37	$26.14	3,140	2.70
Missouri	$59,360	36	$65,362	21	$28.54	6,780	2.31
Montana	$59,990	32	$63,384	32	$28.84	1,230	2.40
Nebraska	$59,140	40	$65,636	19	$28.44	2,720	2.66
Nevada	$68,410	11	$68,424	8	$32.89	1,990	1.28
New Hampshire	$71,390	8	$68,535	7	$34.32	1,040	1.53
New Jersey	$72,340	7	$66,486	14	$34.78	8,160	1.90
New Mexico	$55,910	45	$60,632	43	$26.88	1,740	2.00
New York	$70,100	10	$64,955	25	$33.70	13,230	1.37
North Carolina	$57,490	44	$60,948	42	$27.64	11,070	2.24
North Dakota	$66,110	15	$74,315	1	$31.78	1,790	4.17
Ohio	$60,470	31	$65,180	22	$29.07	14,240	2.57
Oklahoma	$55,340	47	$62,999	35	$26.61	3,970	2.33
Oregon	$63,970	19	$61,890	39	$30.76	3,770	1.92
Pennsylvania	$61,740	22	$63,276	34	$29.68	12,630	2.08
Rhode Island	$67,270	13	$65,770	18	$32.34	350	0.70
South Carolina	$59,330	37	$63,286	33	$28.53	3,360	1.46
South Dakota	$58,120	43	$65,609	20	$27.94	1,340	2.92
Tennessee	$59,190	39	$64,428	27	$28.46	5,720	1.75
Texas	$58,810	41	$60,593	45	$28.27	29,870	2.12
Utah	$64,350	17	$65,089	23	$30.94	2,690	1.55
Vermont	$59,390	35	$60,628	44	$28.55	550	1.82
Virginia	$61,090	27	$60,423	46	$29.37	8,070	1.96
Washington	$77,900	2	$72,795	4	$37.45	7,410	2.09
West Virginia	$46,610	51	$52,080	51	$22.41	1,040	1.49
Wisconsin	$62,450	21	$66,369	16	$30.02	6,750	2.30
Wyoming	$61,580	24	$66,436	15	$29.61	1,100	3.92

BLS OEWS, May 2025, state estimates. Adjusted pay = median ÷ (state price level ÷ 100), using BEA regional price parities for 2024; it ignores taxes. Figures for states with few workers in the occupation have larger survey errors and can change sharply from one year to the next. “—” means BLS did not publish the figure. State names link to each state’s highest-paying jobs.

Best-paying metro areas for diesel mechanics

383 metro areas with published pay

Highest median pay
Metro area	Median	Adjusted	Jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$88,980	$80,581	720
Urban Honolulu, HI	$85,040	$76,640	540
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$82,330	$74,082	3,740
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$82,100	$71,013	1,730
Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA	$80,450	$76,179	160
Boulder, CO	$79,030	$75,122	150
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA	$78,960	$76,165	260
Paducah, KY-IL	$78,900	$91,655	190
Bellingham, WA	$78,330	$75,803	220
Napa, CA	$78,070	$69,362	60

Most jobs
Metro area	Jobs	Median	Adjusted
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	12,430	$75,780	$67,322
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	8,660	$65,680	$63,401
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	7,940	$60,390	$58,580
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	7,410	$60,770	$61,615
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	6,520	$77,380	$68,137
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	5,940	$62,270	$62,234
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	4,490	$64,550	$62,942
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	4,290	$73,730	$70,338
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	4,240	$61,340	$53,734
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	3,820	$63,360	$63,172

BLS OEWS, May 2025, metropolitan statistical areas; adjusted with BEA metro price parities (2024).

What moves diesel mechanic pay: employers and settings

The median for diesel mechanics is $61,770 a year, or $29.7 an hour. Half earn between $50,540, the 25th percentile, and $75,470, the 75th; the 10th percentile is $44,530, and the 90th is $88,740, which describe the spread of pay across the trade rather than steps by years on the job.

Who you work for matters. Local government fleets, which run transit buses, garbage trucks and road equipment, pay a median of $71,460 at the industry level, and local government overall pays $65,420. Truck and parts dealers pay $63,020 at the median, waste collection companies $61,540. Trucking companies, the largest employer, pay $59,820 at the median, close to repair shops at $60,330 and leasing companies at $59,990 for the year. A small number of federal positions report a median of $105,370 but employ very few people.

State is another big lever. Hawaii at $80,080, Washington at $77,900, Alaska at $75,580, Maryland at $74,790, and California ($73,950) lead, while Arkansas at $52,330, Alabama at $50,470, and West Virginia ($46,610) are lowest. North Dakota comes out best after living costs ($74,315 adjusted). BLS also notes that industry certification, such as ASE, may bring higher pay.

Where diesel mechanics work
Industry	Share of jobs	Median pay
Truck Transportation	19.6%	$59,820
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals	10%	$71,460
Automotive Repair and Maintenance	9.4%	$60,330
Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers	9.1%	$63,020
Automotive Equipment Rental and Leasing	5.6%	$59,990
Waste Collection	3.6%	$61,540

Private employers and government
Employer type	Jobs	Median pay
Private employers	246,920	$61,370
Federal government (incl. Postal Service)	60	$105,370
State government (incl. schools and hospitals)	4,380	$63,460
Local government (incl. schools and hospitals)	38,600	$65,420

BLS OEWS, May 2025, national industry-specific and ownership estimates (4-digit NAICS).

Diesel Mechanic pay over time

Median annual pay, 2015–2025

$61.8K $44.5K

2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Nominal median (dollars of each year)In May 2025 dollars (adjusted with CPI-U)

The median rose from $44,520 in 2015 to $61,770 in 2025, up 39% in nominal dollars. After inflation, the 2015 median is worth $60,182 in May 2025 dollars, so real pay grew 3% over the period.

BLS OEWS, May 2025 and earlier May releases; inflation from the CPI-U, US city average, May of each year.

What diesel mechanics do

A diesel mechanic, also called a diesel technician or diesel tech, keeps trucks, buses and other diesel-powered vehicles running. In BLS pay data the job is listed as bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists. The work ranges from routine service, such as oil changes, filter swaps and brake adjustments, to tracking down an electronic fault that has put a semi into limp mode or rebuilding an engine.

Modern diesels are heavily computerized, so a big part of the job is plugging a laptop into the truck, reading fault codes and following the manufacturer's diagnostic steps. Emissions equipment such as diesel particulate filters and exhaust fluid dosing adds its own share of repairs.

Most techs work in shops run by trucking companies, truck dealers, independent repair shops, leasing companies and city or county fleets that maintain buses, garbage trucks and snowplows. Some work as mobile road-service techs who drive out to broken-down trucks. The work is physical and dirty: lifting heavy parts, lying under vehicles and working in shops that can be loud, hot or cold. Some shops stay open evenings and weekends, and some truck and bus shops run around the clock.

A typical day

Connect diagnostic software to a truck and read engine, transmission and emissions fault codes
Inspect and reline brakes, check steering and suspension parts, and replace worn tires and bearings
Run scheduled preventive maintenance: oil, filters, belts, fluids and a full inspection checklist
Clean or replace diesel particulate filters, injectors, turbochargers and sensors
Trace wiring faults with a multimeter and wiring diagrams
Road test trucks and buses after repairs and write up the work order
Lift heavy components with jacks, hoists and cranes and weld or fabricate brackets when needed

Also called: diesel technician, diesel tech, bus mechanic, diesel technician (diesel tech), fleet mechanic, general repair mechanic, heavy truck mechanic, service technician.

How to become a diesel mechanic

Full guide

Most diesel mechanics start with a high school diploma and either a 1- to 2-year diesel technology program or an entry-level shop job, then earn ASE Medium-Heavy Truck certifications after gaining hands-on experience. No state license is required, though many employers want a CDL.

Typical time: 2-4 years to a fully qualified technician; Fastest: Under 1 year to an entry-level job
Minimum education: High school diploma or equivalent; a postsecondary diesel or medium/heavy truck program is preferred by many employers
License: Not licensed by states (ASE certification optional but widely expected); EPA Section 609 certification is federally required to service vehicle A/C, and a CDL may be needed to road test large vehicles
Typical training cost: $96–$9.5K; See the guide for what it includes

Read the step-by-step guide to becoming a diesel mechanic: each step with its time and cost, education options, exams, licensing and advancement.

Is it worth it? Training cost against pay

Compare careers

Training time: 2-4 years to a fully qualified technician; Typical path in our guide
Training cost: $96–$9.5K; Tuition and exam fees, before aid
Median pay: $61,770; $10,790 above the all-jobs median ($50,980)
Cost vs. one year's pay: 0–15%; Training cost as a share of a year at the median

Once qualified, the pay difference over the typical US job at the median ($10,790 a year before tax) would repay the training cost in less than a year after training ends (2-4 years to a fully qualified technician in our guide). This is a rough guide: it ignores taxes, financial aid, interest, earnings given up while training and how pay changes over a career. How we calculate ROI.

Job outlook for diesel mechanics

BLS Employment Projections 2025–35

Projected growth: +3.6%; All occupations +3.5%
Jobs in 2025: 316,000; 327,400 projected for 2035
Openings each year: 24,400; New jobs plus replacements
Self-employed: 5.9%; Not in the pay figures above

BLS projects diesel mechanic jobs to grow 3.6% from 2025 to 2035, from 316,000 to 327,400, about the same pace as the 3.5% average for all jobs. The bigger number is openings: about 24,400 a year, mostly from techs retiring or leaving the trade.

Two forces pull in opposite directions. Freight keeps growing, trucks still haul it wherever rail and pipelines don't reach, and older diesel fleets need more repair. Against that, some companies are moving to vehicles that need less upkeep, and BLS expects more package-delivery trucks to be electric.

Related careers and their pay

Auto Mechanic$50,620
Aircraft Mechanic$79,870
Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines$65,510
Rail Car Repairers$67,530
Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians$57,550

Related occupations from O*NET 31.0; median annual pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.

Diesel Mechanic salary FAQ

How much do diesel mechanics make an hour?

The median hourly wage for diesel mechanics was $29.70 in May 2025. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $21.41 an hour and the highest-paid 10% more than $42.66. Hourly figures are BLS estimates for all workers in the occupation, full-time and part-time.

Which state pays diesel mechanics the most?

Hawaii has the highest median pay for diesel mechanics, $80,080 a year, followed by Washington ($77,900) and Alaska ($75,580). After adjusting for each state's price level, North Dakota comes out ahead at about $74,315 in national-average dollars.

Do diesel mechanics make six figures?

Few do: based on the BLS percentiles, fewer than 10% of diesel mechanics earn more than $100,000 a year. The median is $61,770, and the top 10% earn more than $88,740. Pay generally rises with experience, specialization and location.

What is the difference between a diesel mechanic and an auto mechanic?

Auto mechanics mostly work on cars and light trucks, many with gasoline engines. Diesel mechanics work on heavier equipment: semi trucks, buses, delivery trucks and other diesel-powered vehicles, with air brakes, larger drivetrains and complex emissions systems. Parts are heavier and diagnostics often use manufacturer-specific software. ASE certifies the two separately, with the A series for cars and the T series for medium and heavy trucks.

Is being a diesel mechanic hard on your body?

It can be. The job involves lifting heavy parts, kneeling and lying under vehicles, working overhead and spending long hours on concrete floors. Shops can be noisy, and outdoor or road-service work happens in heat, cold and rain. Using hoists, lifts and proper lifting habits helps, and many techs move into diagnostic, lead or service-writer roles later in their careers partly to reduce the physical strain.

Do diesel mechanics work nights and weekends?

Some do. Most diesel techs work full time, and some put in more than 40 hours a week. Many shops keep regular daytime hours, but some repair shops add evening and weekend hours, and some truck and bus shops offer 24-hour service, which means overnight shifts. Mobile road-service techs may also be called out to breakdowns at odd hours.

Sources

Data updated October 28, 2026 · Text checked against its sources October 28, 2026

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released April 30, 2026, SOC 49-3031
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035, released September 2026
O*NET 31.0 Database (49-3031.00), U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0; tasks rewritten by Careers and Salaries
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state and metro area, 2024
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, May values
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study and institution data, most recent cohorts, released 2026-10-15
Register Now: Registration Dates and Fees, National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) · checked October 28, 2026
Diesel Service Technicians and Mechanics: Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · checked October 28, 2026
Accreditation Process, ASE Education Foundation · checked October 28, 2026
Section 609 Technician Training and Certification Programs, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · checked October 28, 2026
49 CFR 380.609 and 383.71: entry-level driver training requirements, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (National Archives) · checked October 28, 2026
Medium-Heavy Truck Certification Tests, T Series: T1-T8; Work Experience Requirements, National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) · checked October 28, 2026
FAQs: ASE Certifications and Testing, National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) · checked October 28, 2026
License Finder, CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor) · checked October 28, 2026
Work Experience, National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) · checked October 28, 2026

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