How much do diesel mechanics make?
Diesel mechanics make $61,770 a year at the national median, and the middle half earn between $50,540 and $75,470.[onet_diesel][oews] BLS counts them as bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists (SOC 49-3031): technicians who repair trucks, buses and other diesel equipment for fleets, dealers, transit agencies and repair shops. It estimated 289,960 such jobs in May 2025.[oews_api]
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly | Take-home* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $44,530 | $21.41 | $37,960 |
| 25th | $50,540 | $24.30 | $42,789 |
| Median (50th) | $61,770 | $29.70 | $51,812 |
| 75th | $75,470 | $36.28 | $61,923 |
| 90th | $88,740 | $42.66 | $71,259 |
*Single filer, 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare; before state tax.
Some shops pay technicians by "flat rate" (book hours per job) rather than clock hours. BLS converts every wage to a straight-time hourly rate, so a flat-rate tech who beats book time can earn more than the hourly figure here suggests, and one who waits for work can earn less.[oews_faq]
Diesel vs auto mechanic pay
At every percentile, diesel techs out-earn automotive technicians: $11,150 more at the median and $6,950 more at the 90th.[onet_diesel][onet_auto] The gap is widest in Hawaii ($27,920) and narrowest in District of Columbia (−$3,460).
| Percentile | Diesel | Auto | Diesel premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $44,530 | $34,660 | $9,870 |
| 25th | $50,540 | $38,900 | $11,640 |
| Median | $61,770 | $50,620 | $11,150 |
| 75th | $75,470 | $70,430 | $5,040 |
| 90th | $88,740 | $81,790 | $6,950 |
Auto techs who move to diesel can use the payback calculator on auto mechanic salary to weigh a diesel program against the raise.
Diesel mechanic salary by state
Hawaii pays diesel mechanics the most at a median of $80,080, followed by Washington ($77,900) and Alaska ($75,580); West Virginia pays the least at $46,610.[onet_diesel][oews_api] Texas has 29,870 diesel jobs and a median of $58,810.
| State | Median | Hourly | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Hawaii | $80,080 | $38.50 | $54,330 | $100,540 | 690 |
| 2. Washington | $77,900 | $37.45 | $54,720 | $102,800 | 7,410 |
| 3. Alaska | $75,580 | $36.34 | $52,000 | $98,610 | 860 |
| 4. Maryland | $74,790 | $35.96 | $50,010 | $97,800 | 3,030 |
| 5. California | $73,950 | $35.55 | $47,180 | $96,730 | 20,940 |
| 6. Massachusetts | $73,270 | $35.23 | $49,400 | $99,460 | 4,870 |
| 7. New Jersey | $72,340 | $34.78 | $49,140 | $94,150 | 8,160 |
| 8. New Hampshire | $71,390 | $34.32 | $52,730 | $99,590 | 1,040 |
| 9. Colorado | $70,480 | $33.88 | $47,450 | $96,450 | 4,600 |
| 10. New York | $70,100 | $33.70 | $48,360 | $90,090 | 13,230 |
| 11. Nevada | $68,410 | $32.89 | $48,770 | $97,720 | 1,990 |
| 12. Connecticut | $67,300 | $32.36 | $45,260 | $97,220 | 2,860 |
| 13. Rhode Island | $67,270 | $32.34 | $51,020 | $85,420 | 350 |
| 14. Minnesota | $66,840 | $32.13 | $49,810 | $90,520 | 7,300 |
| 15. North Dakota | $66,110 | $31.78 | $46,790 | $91,520 | 1,790 |
| 16. District of Columbia | $65,200 | $31.35 | $49,930 | $93,040 | 110 |
| 17. Utah | $64,350 | $30.94 | $46,970 | $83,140 | 2,690 |
| 18. Illinois | $64,340 | $30.93 | $44,760 | $97,670 | 11,320 |
| 19. Oregon | $63,970 | $30.75 | $47,690 | $90,700 | 3,770 |
| 20. Delaware | $63,590 | $30.57 | $49,250 | $82,650 | 670 |
| 21. Wisconsin | $62,450 | $30.02 | $45,250 | $82,210 | 6,750 |
| 22. Pennsylvania | $61,740 | $29.68 | $45,910 | $80,440 | 12,630 |
| 23. Arizona | $61,680 | $29.65 | $45,460 | $84,350 | 5,140 |
| 24. Wyoming | $61,580 | $29.61 | $45,140 | $80,400 | 1,100 |
| 25. Michigan | $61,420 | $29.53 | $45,240 | $81,010 | 9,020 |
| 26. Georgia | $61,370 | $29.50 | $45,890 | $85,260 | 10,910 |
| 27. Virginia | $61,090 | $29.37 | $45,250 | $79,150 | 8,070 |
| 28. Maine | $60,850 | $29.25 | $45,760 | $79,450 | 1,380 |
| 29. Indiana | $60,610 | $29.14 | $44,160 | $79,730 | 8,840 |
| 30. Florida | $60,490 | $29.08 | $44,300 | $79,210 | 14,900 |
| 31. Ohio | $60,470 | $29.07 | $44,860 | $78,120 | 14,240 |
| 32. Montana | $59,990 | $28.84 | $44,880 | $77,700 | 1,230 |
| 33. Iowa | $59,680 | $28.69 | $43,710 | $80,080 | 4,140 |
| 34. Kansas | $59,460 | $28.59 | $43,610 | $81,000 | 3,300 |
| 35. Vermont | $59,390 | $28.55 | $46,380 | $84,060 | 550 |
| 36. Missouri | $59,360 | $28.54 | $41,170 | $82,480 | 6,780 |
| 37. South Carolina | $59,330 | $28.52 | $41,440 | $76,670 | 3,360 |
| 38. Idaho | $59,230 | $28.48 | $45,960 | $77,800 | 1,930 |
| 39. Tennessee | $59,190 | $28.46 | $40,450 | $80,580 | 5,720 |
| 40. Nebraska | $59,140 | $28.43 | $44,010 | $79,400 | 2,720 |
| 41. Texas | $58,810 | $28.27 | $40,930 | $81,660 | 29,870 |
| 42. Louisiana | $58,680 | $28.21 | $38,900 | $79,160 | 3,270 |
| 43. South Dakota | $58,120 | $27.94 | $45,500 | $78,810 | 1,340 |
| 44. North Carolina | $57,490 | $27.64 | $39,890 | $76,240 | 11,070 |
| 45. New Mexico | $55,910 | $26.88 | $37,860 | $83,260 | 1,740 |
| 46. Kentucky | $55,480 | $26.67 | $38,250 | $80,500 | 3,890 |
| 47. Oklahoma | $55,340 | $26.61 | $37,250 | $76,130 | 3,970 |
| 48. Mississippi | $54,360 | $26.13 | $37,390 | $82,020 | 3,140 |
| 49. Arkansas | $52,330 | $25.16 | $38,620 | $69,260 | 4,090 |
| 50. Alabama | $50,470 | $24.26 | $37,470 | $75,660 | 6,130 |
| 51. West Virginia | $46,610 | $22.41 | $35,350 | $78,460 | 1,040 |
Jobs: BLS OEWS employment estimate, May 2025.
Highest-paying metro areas for diesel techs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA has the highest diesel mechanic median, $88,980.[onet_diesel]
| Area | Median | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 1. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $88,980 | $42.78 |
| 2. Urban Honolulu, HI | $85,040 | $40.88 |
| 3. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $82,330 | $39.58 |
| 4. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $82,100 | $39.47 |
| 5. Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $80,450 | $38.68 |
| 6. Boulder, CO | $79,030 | $38.00 |
| 7. Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $78,960 | $37.96 |
| 8. Paducah, KY-IL | $78,900 | $37.93 |
| 9. Bellingham, WA | $78,330 | $37.66 |
| 10. Napa, CA | $78,070 | $37.53 |
BLS projects 4% growth in diesel technician jobs from 2025 to 2035 and about 24,400 openings a year.[ooh_diesel] The same trucks need drivers: see truck driver salary for what CDL drivers earn, or compare every trade on the electrician salary page.
Frequently asked questions
How much do diesel mechanics make an hour?
$29.70 at the national median (BLS, May 2025); $21.41 at the 10th percentile and $42.66 at the 90th.
Do diesel mechanics make more than auto mechanics?
Yes. The diesel median is $61,770 against $50,620 for automotive service technicians, a difference of $11,150 a year.
What state pays diesel mechanics the most?
Hawaii ($80,080 median), then Washington and Alaska.
How much does a diesel mechanic take home?
About $51,812 a year, or $4,318 a month, for a single filer at the national median after 2026 federal income tax and FICA, before state tax.
Sources
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Diesel Service Technicians and Mechanics
- Local Wages: 49-3031.00 Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists (state and metro percentiles)
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates
- OEWS May 2025 employment and median wage series (OEUN/OEUS), Public Data API v2
- OEWS Frequently Asked Questions (wage definition; 2,080-hour year)
- Local Wages: 49-3023.00 Automotive service technicians and mechanics (state and metro percentiles)
- IRS releases tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2026 (Rev. Proc. 2025-32)