Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of automotive service technicians and mechanics to grow 5.0% from 2025 to 2035 (about 40,900 more jobs), with about 66,200 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $50,620 a year ranks 537th of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +5.0%
- Openings a year
- 66,200
- Median pay
- $50,620
- Pay rank
- 537th of 825
Is employment of automotive service technicians and mechanics growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of automotive service technicians and mechanics to rise 5.0% (about 40,900 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is about the same as the +5.4% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 51 installation, maintenance, and repair occupations with a projection. That change ranks 235th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 825,800 |
| Employment, 2035 | 866,700 |
| Projected change | +5.0% |
| Openings a year | 66,200 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 825,800 jobs here differ from the 704,640 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 66,200 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 60th most of 830 occupations. About 94% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 4,090 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for automotive service technicians and mechanics rank?
The median of $50,620 a year ranks 537th 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: postsecondary nondegree award.
- Typical on-the-job training: short-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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rail Car Repairers | +2.6% | 1,600 | $67,530 |
| Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists | +3.6% | 24,400 | $61,770 |
| Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers | +4.4% | 1,400 | $56,210 |
| Motorcycle Mechanics | +2.1% | 1,400 | $48,580 |
| Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians | +4.9% | 2,600 | $57,550 |
| Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door | +4.3% | 3,600 | $74,340 |
| Automotive Body and Related Repairers | +3.7% | 12,600 | $54,890 |
| Electronic Equipment Installers and Repairers, Motor Vehicles | -14.5% | 400 | $48,420 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.