Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages O*NET task lead SOC 49-3031

Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists

O*NET task statements lead this Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists card before OEWS pay; neighboring titles include Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay, Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines, Commercial Divers, Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers.

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists: Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay ($103K) , Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines ($66K) , Commercial Divers ($73K) , Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers ($95K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 49-3031 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Use handtools, such as screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, pressure gauges, or precision instruments, as well as power tools, such as pneumat…
  2. 2. Inspect brake systems, steering mechanisms, wheel bearings, and other important parts to ensure that they are in proper operating condition
  3. 3. Raise trucks, buses, and heavy parts or equipment using hydraulic jacks or hoists
  4. 4. Adjust and reline brakes, align wheels, tighten bolts and screws, and reassemble equipment
  5. 5. Attach test instruments to equipment, and read dials and gauges to diagnose malfunctions
  6. 6. Perform routine maintenance such as changing oil, checking batteries, and lubricating equipment and machinery
  7. 7. Examine and adjust protective guards, loose bolts, and specified safety devices
  8. 8. Inspect, test, and listen to defective equipment to diagnose malfunctions, using test instruments such as handheld computers, motor analy…
  9. 9. Rewire ignition systems, lights, and instrument panels
  10. 10. Test drive trucks and buses to diagnose malfunctions or to ensure that they are working properly
  11. 11. Diagnose and repair vehicle heating and cooling systems
  12. 12. Inspect, repair, and maintain automotive and mechanical equipment and machinery, such as pumps and compressors

Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists: O*NET ranks Troubleshooting first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 49-3031 - lead skill Troubleshooting at 4.0 ; lead knowledge Mechanical. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Troubleshooting 4.0
  2. 2. Repairing 4.0
  3. 3. Operations Monitoring 3.5
  4. 4. Equipment Maintenance 3.4
  5. 5. Critical Thinking 3.3
  6. 6. Quality Control Analysis 3.3
  7. 7. Speaking 3.1
  8. 8. Equipment Selection 3.1

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Mechanical 4.7
  2. 2. Transportation 3.9
  3. 3. Education and Training 3.5
  4. 4. English Language 3.5
  5. 5. Public Safety and Security 3.4
  6. 6. Mathematics 3.3
National median after O*NET task lead
$61,770
/year · 12 published task lines above
Lead task: Use handtools, such as screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, pressure gauges, or precision instruments, as well as power tools, such as pneumat…
$62K
National median
↑ +2%
Growth 2024-2034
26,500
Annual openings
289,960
Estimated US jobs
Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay
Highest-pay peer · $103K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education High school diploma or equivalent

Top Paying States for Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists

1. New Hampshire $71,390
2. Maryland $74,790
3. California $73,950
4. Massachusetts $73,270
5. Washington $77,900
6. New Jersey $72,340
7. Hawaii $80,080
8. New York $70,100
9. Alaska $75,580
10. Colorado $70,480

Other Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations titles

  1. 1. Commercial Divers $72,990
  2. 2. Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay $103,020
  3. 3. Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers $95,320
  4. 4. Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Commercial and Industrial Equipment $74,090
  5. 5. Avionics Technicians $82,280
  6. 6. Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines $65,510

O*NET publishes 12 leading task statements for Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists (SOC 49-3031). The national OEWS median is $61,770 inside Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations. Same-group neighbors: Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay, Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines, Commercial Divers, Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers. Lead published task: Use handtools, such as screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, pressure gauges, or precision instruments, as well as power tools, such as pneumat….

Employment Projections expect +2% change between 2024 and 2034 (about as fast as average vs baseline 3.1%). About 26,500 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: New Hampshire at $71,390. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay at $103,020. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists pay-rank #22 in Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations

Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists sits at pay-rank #22 of 51 detailed Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations, the middle third of the major-group median table. ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.

Other mid-table titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

SOC 49-3031 · national median $61,770 · middle third of Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations (#22/51). The day-to-day tasks above set this role apart from peers with a similar title.

Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 49-3031

New Hampshire · top state for Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists

$71K published median

Maryland · #2 state pay

$75K · behind New Hampshire

Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay

Highest-pay peer vs Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists · $103K

Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines

Lower-pay peer beside Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists · $66K

Compare Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists with another occupation →

Role and task next reads

Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists full salary map

State and metro OEWS after the task lead

Compare tasks and pay

Side-by-side with another occupation

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists mid-table among Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations? ▼
Yes: pay-rank #22 of 51 detailed Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations, the middle third. Mid-table neighbors: Medical Equipment Repairers ($62K), Refractory Materials Repairers, Except Brickmasons ($61K), Heating, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers ($61K), Riggers ($63K). ROW_NUMBER on median; title breaks ties.
What do bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists. Leading ones include: Use handtools, such as screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, pressure gauges, or precision instruments, as well as power tools, such as pneumat…; Inspect brake systems, steering mechanisms, wheel bearings, and other important parts to ensure that they are in proper operating condition; Raise trucks, buses, and heavy parts or equipment using hydraulic jacks or hoists; Adjust and reline brakes, align wheels, tighten bolts and screws, and reassemble equipment. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists? ▼
For SOC 49-3031, O*NET importance scores lead with Troubleshooting (4.0), Repairing (4.0), Operations Monitoring (3.5), Equipment Maintenance (3.4). Knowledge areas emphasize Mechanical, Transportation, Education and Training. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $61,770 as the national median for Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists. The published 10th-90th range is $44,530 to $88,740. Beside Electrical and Electronics Repairers, Powerhouse, Substation, and Relay ($103,020), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists is +2%. Projected annual openings: about 26,500. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: about as fast as average.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists? ▼
BLS assigns High school diploma or equivalent as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists? ▼
New Hampshire ($71,390), Maryland ($74,790), California ($73,950) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 49-3031. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics