Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists to grow 3.6% from 2025 to 2035 (about 11,400 more jobs), with about 24,400 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $61,770 a year ranks 408th of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +3.6%
- Openings a year
- 24,400
- Median pay
- $61,770
- Pay rank
- 408th of 825
Is employment of bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists to rise 3.6% (about 11,400 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 347th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 316,000 |
| Employment, 2035 | 327,400 |
| Projected change | +3.6% |
| Openings a year | 24,400 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 316,000 jobs here differ from the 289,960 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 24,400 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 140th most of 830 occupations. About 95% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 1,140 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists rank?
The median of $61,770 a year ranks 408th of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on both pay and openings.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile Heavy Equipment Mechanics, Except Engines | +6.7% | 15,000 | $65,510 |
| Rail Car Repairers | +2.6% | 1,600 | $67,530 |
| Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics | +5.0% | 66,200 | $50,620 |
| Motorboat Mechanics and Service Technicians | +4.9% | 2,600 | $57,550 |
| Outdoor Power Equipment and Other Small Engine Mechanics | +2.3% | 3,800 | $47,880 |
| Motorcycle Mechanics | +2.1% | 1,400 | $48,580 |
| Electric Motor, Power Tool, and Related Repairers | +4.4% | 1,400 | $56,210 |
| Aircraft Mechanics and Service Technicians | +5.4% | 11,400 | $79,870 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.