Automotive Body and Related Repairers
Automotive Body and Related Repairers (SOC 49-3021) earn a median $54,890 a year ($26.39 an hour) in the United States, with 149,310 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Rhode Island.
What automotive body and related repairers do
Automotive body and related repairers repair and refinish automotive vehicle bodies and straighten vehicle frames. Frames and sections are chained or clamped to alignment machines that use hydraulic pressure to align damaged components, and dented areas are worked by positioning dolly blocks against the surface and beating the opposite side with hammers. Replacement parts are fitted and welded into place with wrenches and welding equipment, and welds are ground smooth. Repaired surfaces are filed, ground, sanded and smoothed with power and hand tools, then primed and painted with spray guns and motorized sanders, after bumpers, windows and trim are covered with masking tape or paper. They follow supervisors' instructions about which parts to restore or replace and how long a job should take. Finished vehicles are inspected for function, dimensional accuracy and the appearance of the paint, and test-driven to check alignment and handling. Automotive glass installers and repairers (49-3022) and coating, painting and spraying machine operators (51-9124) are excluded.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a high school diploma or the equivalent as the education needed.
Also called: Auto Body Customizer, Auto Body Detailer, Auto Body Estimator (Automotive Body Estimator), Auto Body Man, Auto Body Mechanic.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $17.74 | $21.99 | $26.39 | $33.27 | $42.28 | $28.70 | 149,310 |
| Annual | $36,910 | $45,750 | $54,890 | $69,200 | $87,940 | $59,690 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where automotive body and related repairers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Rhode Island | Hourly | $22.51 | $23.15 | $34.85 | $35.83 | $45.00 | $31.80 | 800 | 1.60 | 1.67 |
| Annual | $46,820 | $48,140 | $72,490 | $74,530 | $93,600 | $66,140 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $20.15 | $25.02 | $32.14 | $37.59 | $46.87 | $33.31 | 14,050 | 0.77 | 0.80 |
| Annual | $41,910 | $52,040 | $66,860 | $78,200 | $97,480 | $69,280 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $19.69 | $22.35 | $30.11 | $38.50 | $46.88 | $32.69 | 30 | 0.05 | 0.05 |
| Annual | $40,950 | $46,480 | $62,640 | $80,080 | $97,510 | $67,990 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $22.00 | $25.21 | $30.00 | $37.47 | $40.00 | $31.72 | 3,720 | 0.87 | 0.90 |
| Annual | $45,760 | $52,450 | $62,400 | $77,940 | $83,210 | $65,980 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $22.29 | $27.44 | $29.65 | $36.16 | $38.97 | $30.88 | 270 | 0.82 | 0.86 |
| Annual | $46,370 | $57,080 | $61,680 | $75,200 | $81,060 | $64,240 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $16.41 | $22.00 | $24.86 | $29.63 | $37.77 | $27.42 | 14,070 | 1.00 | 1.04 |
| Annual | $34,140 | $45,760 | $51,700 | $61,640 | $78,570 | $57,030 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $20.15 | $25.02 | $32.14 | $37.59 | $46.87 | $33.31 | 14,050 | 0.77 | 0.80 |
| Annual | $41,910 | $52,040 | $66,860 | $78,200 | $97,480 | $69,280 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $17.49 | $21.50 | $23.36 | $29.64 | $44.79 | $27.12 | 9,220 | 0.93 | 0.97 |
| Annual | $36,390 | $44,730 | $48,600 | $61,660 | $93,170 | $56,410 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $18.07 | $20.02 | $22.92 | $29.14 | $39.41 | $26.68 | 8,530 | 0.88 | 0.92 |
| Annual | $37,580 | $41,630 | $47,670 | $60,600 | $81,970 | $55,500 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $16.75 | $21.89 | $25.80 | $30.58 | $37.65 | $27.10 | 6,650 | 1.10 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $34,840 | $45,530 | $53,660 | $63,610 | $78,310 | $56,360 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Hinesville, GA | Hourly | $18.48 | $25.00 | $39.32 | $60.09 | $60.09 | $40.00 | 30 | 1.54 | 1.60 |
| Annual | $38,440 | $52,000 | $81,790 | $124,990 | $124,990 | $83,190 | ||||
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | Hourly | $23.54 | $28.80 | $37.53 | $43.22 | $48.15 | $36.63 | 260 | 1.28 | 1.33 |
| Annual | $48,960 | $59,900 | $78,060 | $89,900 | $100,150 | $76,190 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $23.35 | $29.72 | $36.93 | $42.43 | $48.20 | $37.51 | 610 | 0.54 | 0.56 |
| Annual | $48,570 | $61,820 | $76,800 | $88,250 | $100,250 | $78,020 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $22.89 | $29.29 | $36.90 | $39.69 | $46.27 | $36.66 | 2,680 | 1.13 | 1.17 |
| Annual | $47,610 | $60,930 | $76,740 | $82,560 | $96,240 | $76,250 | ||||
| Vallejo, CA | Hourly | $21.94 | $29.06 | $35.53 | $36.72 | $47.10 | $34.20 | 160 | 1.11 | 1.16 |
| Annual | $45,630 | $60,430 | $73,890 | $76,380 | $97,960 | $71,130 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $18.60 | $21.47 | $27.85 | $36.40 | $43.65 | $29.01 | 8,150 | 0.86 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $38,680 | $44,650 | $57,920 | $75,720 | $90,790 | $60,330 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $16.81 | $23.86 | $25.02 | $29.26 | $38.19 | $27.76 | 4,450 | 0.99 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $34,960 | $49,640 | $52,040 | $60,860 | $79,440 | $57,740 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $20.15 | $22.37 | $32.26 | $39.21 | $48.69 | $33.72 | 4,270 | 0.68 | 0.71 |
| Annual | $41,910 | $46,520 | $67,090 | $81,550 | $101,280 | $70,130 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $16.59 | $22.63 | $27.54 | $30.74 | $42.13 | $28.52 | 4,080 | 1.01 | 1.05 |
| Annual | $34,500 | $47,060 | $57,280 | $63,950 | $87,630 | $59,330 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $16.93 | $22.00 | $26.95 | $32.40 | $37.50 | $28.06 | 3,410 | 1.04 | 1.08 |
| Annual | $35,220 | $45,760 | $56,060 | $67,390 | $77,990 | $58,360 | ||||
Top industries employing automotive body and related repairers
Automotive Repair and Maintenance employ 73.3% of automotive body and related repairers nationally (109,400 jobs) at a median $54,710 a year ($26.30 an hour), followed by Automobile Dealers (17.3%) and Motor Vehicle Manufacturing (2.2%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automotive Repair and Maintenance NAICS 811100 | 109,400 | 73.3% | $54,710 | $26.30 |
| Automobile Dealers NAICS 441100 | 25,830 | 17.3% | $52,040 | $25.02 |
| Motor Vehicle Manufacturing NAICS 336100 | 3,340 | 2.2% | $76,250 | $36.66 |
| Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers NAICS 423100 | 2,620 | 1.8% | $58,800 | $28.27 |
| Automotive Parts, Accessories, and Tire Retailers NAICS 441300 | 1,340 | 0.9% | $45,000 | $21.63 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (149,310). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $47,270 for automotive body and related repairers in May 2021 and $54,890 in May 2025, with employment of 137,300 and 149,310.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $47,270 | $22.73 | 137,300 |
| May 2022 | $47,670 | $22.92 | 138,760 |
| May 2023 | $48,740 | $23.43 | 151,910 |
| May 2024 | $51,680 | $24.85 | 155,220 |
| May 2025 | $54,890 | $26.39 | 149,310 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island profile | $34.85 | $72,490 | $46,820 | $93,600 | 800 | 1.60 | 1.67 |
| 2 | California profile | $32.14 | $66,860 | $41,910 | $97,480 | 14,050 | 0.77 | 0.80 |
| 3 | District of Columbia profile | $30.11 | $62,640 | $40,950 | $97,510 | 30 | 0.05 | 0.05 |
| 4 | New Jersey profile | $30.00 | $62,400 | $45,760 | $83,210 | 3,720 | 0.87 | 0.90 |
| 5 | Alaska profile | $29.65 | $61,680 | $46,370 | $81,060 | 270 | 0.82 | 0.86 |
| 6 | Minnesota profile | $29.31 | $60,970 | $41,500 | $92,900 | 2,910 | 0.99 | 1.03 |
| 7 | Hawaii profile | $29.11 | $60,540 | $34,190 | $83,580 | 450 | 0.71 | 0.74 |
| 8 | Missouri profile | $29.11 | $60,540 | $36,240 | $81,630 | 4,350 | 1.48 | 1.54 |
| 9 | Nevada profile | $29.10 | $60,520 | $45,070 | $126,920 | 1,020 | 0.66 | 0.68 |
| 10 | Oregon profile | $28.85 | $60,000 | $40,920 | $92,700 | 1,660 | 0.85 | 0.88 |
| 11 | Colorado profile | $28.79 | $59,880 | $38,280 | $97,630 | 3,120 | 1.09 | 1.13 |
| 12 | Massachusetts profile | $28.51 | $59,300 | $45,200 | $77,400 | 3,060 | 0.84 | 0.88 |
| 13 | Washington profile | $28.05 | $58,340 | $40,830 | $133,140 | 2,330 | 0.66 | 0.68 |
| 14 | Connecticut profile | $27.99 | $58,220 | $44,650 | $78,270 | 1,850 | 1.09 | 1.14 |
| 15 | Virginia profile | $27.77 | $57,760 | $36,950 | $124,120 | 3,720 | 0.91 | 0.94 |
| 16 | Montana profile | $27.65 | $57,500 | $34,830 | $72,850 | 500 | 0.98 | 1.02 |
| 17 | Michigan profile | $27.35 | $56,880 | $37,360 | $84,050 | 5,010 | 1.14 | 1.18 |
| 18 | Wisconsin profile | $27.24 | $56,660 | $38,200 | $75,500 | 2,690 | 0.92 | 0.95 |
| 19 | Maryland profile | $26.97 | $56,100 | $38,370 | $114,490 | 2,930 | 1.06 | 1.10 |
| 20 | North Dakota profile | $26.52 | $55,160 | $36,970 | $98,600 | 680 | 1.58 | 1.65 |
| 21 | Arizona profile | $26.21 | $54,510 | $37,210 | $81,150 | 2,750 | 0.85 | 0.88 |
| 22 | Nebraska profile | $26.02 | $54,130 | $36,860 | $72,730 | 1,120 | 1.09 | 1.14 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania profile | $25.80 | $53,660 | $34,840 | $78,310 | 6,650 | 1.10 | 1.14 |
| 24 | South Carolina profile | $25.62 | $53,290 | $37,540 | $78,110 | 2,140 | 0.93 | 0.97 |
| 25 | New Hampshire profile | $25.38 | $52,790 | $43,910 | $78,880 | 750 | 1.09 | 1.14 |
| 26 | Alabama profile | $25.02 | $52,040 | $33,060 | $72,880 | 1,810 | 0.85 | 0.89 |
| 27 | Illinois profile | $25.01 | $52,020 | $34,460 | $77,730 | 5,750 | 0.94 | 0.98 |
| 28 | Texas profile | $24.86 | $51,700 | $34,140 | $78,570 | 14,070 | 1.00 | 1.04 |
| 29 | Georgia profile | $24.61 | $51,190 | $36,140 | $97,080 | 4,680 | 0.96 | 1.00 |
| 30 | Indiana profile | $24.60 | $51,160 | $36,610 | $82,290 | 3,780 | 1.18 | 1.23 |
| 31 | Vermont profile | $24.47 | $50,900 | $38,510 | $74,140 | 320 | 1.06 | 1.11 |
| 32 | North Carolina profile | $24.29 | $50,520 | $36,630 | $83,250 | 5,180 | 1.05 | 1.09 |
| 33 | Maine profile | $24.21 | $50,350 | $37,820 | $72,080 | 680 | 1.06 | 1.11 |
| 34 | Utah profile | $24.14 | $50,200 | $32,660 | $78,040 | 1,590 | 0.92 | 0.95 |
| 35 | Mississippi profile | $23.80 | $49,500 | $31,110 | $73,810 | 1,380 | 1.19 | 1.24 |
| 36 | South Dakota profile | $23.78 | $49,460 | $39,180 | $74,110 | 800 | 1.75 | 1.82 |
| 37 | Iowa profile | $23.75 | $49,400 | $37,690 | $85,730 | 1,830 | 1.17 | 1.22 |
| 38 | Arkansas profile | $23.71 | $49,310 | $36,070 | $76,550 | 1,140 | 0.88 | 0.91 |
| 39 | Idaho profile | $23.65 | $49,200 | $36,610 | $93,040 | 850 | 1.00 | 1.04 |
| 40 | Wyoming profile | $23.66 | $49,200 | $40,550 | $70,140 | 200 | 0.72 | 0.75 |
| 41 | Ohio profile | $23.60 | $49,080 | $36,770 | $78,370 | 5,950 | 1.07 | 1.12 |
| 42 | Kansas profile | $23.52 | $48,920 | $36,880 | $82,310 | 1,530 | 1.06 | 1.11 |
| 43 | Oklahoma profile | $23.47 | $48,810 | $29,980 | $76,180 | 2,330 | 1.36 | 1.42 |
| 44 | Delaware profile | $23.45 | $48,780 | $33,840 | $74,370 | 340 | 0.71 | 0.73 |
| 45 | Florida profile | $23.36 | $48,600 | $36,390 | $93,170 | 9,220 | 0.93 | 0.97 |
| 46 | New Mexico profile | $23.20 | $48,260 | $36,220 | $78,060 | 810 | 0.93 | 0.97 |
| 47 | New York profile | $22.92 | $47,670 | $37,580 | $81,970 | 8,530 | 0.88 | 0.92 |
| 48 | Tennessee profile | $22.82 | $47,460 | $34,950 | $70,310 | 3,970 | 1.21 | 1.26 |
| 49 | Louisiana profile | $22.67 | $47,150 | $30,910 | $76,100 | 1,660 | 0.86 | 0.89 |
| 50 | West Virginia profile | $22.64 | $47,090 | $33,900 | $62,840 | 670 | 0.96 | 1.00 |
| 51 | Kentucky profile | $22.15 | $46,080 | $28,360 | $80,770 | 1,680 | 0.84 | 0.87 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (49-3020), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 49-3021 Automotive Body and Related Repairers.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 49-3021, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 49-3021.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.