Automotive Body and Related Repairers Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of automotive body and related repairers to grow 3.7% from 2025 to 2035 (about 6,100 more jobs), with about 12,600 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $54,890 a year ranks 493rd of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +3.7%
- Openings a year
- 12,600
- Median pay
- $54,890
- Pay rank
- 493rd of 825
Is employment of automotive body and related repairers growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of automotive body and related repairers to rise 3.7% (about 6,100 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is slower than the +5.4% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 51 installation, maintenance, and repair occupations with a projection. That change ranks 334th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 163,200 |
| Employment, 2035 | 169,300 |
| Projected change | +3.7% |
| Openings a year | 12,600 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 163,200 jobs here differ from the 149,310 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 12,600 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 230th most of 830 occupations. About 95% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 610 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for automotive body and related repairers rank?
The median of $54,890 a year ranks 493rd of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on openings and the lower half on pay.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: high school diploma or equivalent.
- Typical on-the-job training: long-term on-the-job training.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics | +5.0% | 66,200 | $50,620 |
| Rail Car Repairers | +2.6% | 1,600 | $67,530 |
| Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers | +4.4% | 1,400 | $56,210 |
| Motorcycle Mechanics | +2.1% | 1,400 | $48,580 |
| Automotive Glass Installers and Repairers | +5.7% | 1,300 | $47,630 |
| Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists | +3.6% | 24,400 | $61,770 |
| Tire Repairers and Changers | +3.4% | 12,900 | $37,710 |
| Industrial Machinery Mechanics | +17.8% | 44,400 | $64,520 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.