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How Much Does a Diesel Mechanic Make?

A diesel mechanic in the US earns a median salary of $61,770 a year, or $29.70 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $64,320, and the middle half earn between $50,540 and $75,470.

Median a year $61,770
Median an hour $29.70
Median a month $5,148
Average a year $64,320

Diesel mechanic pay range

What diesel mechanics earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.

Percentile A year An hour
10th (lowest 10%) $44,530 $21.41
25th $50,540 $24.30
Median (50th) $61,770 $29.70
75th $75,470 $36.29
90th (top 10%) $88,740 $42.66

The median is 21% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 289,960 people work as diesel mechanics in the US.

After tax and by period

A week
$1,188
Every two weeks
$2,376
Twice a month
$2,574
A month
$5,148

At the median salary, before tax.

Diesel mechanic salary by state

Sorted by average pay. Washington pays diesel mechanics the most, at $78,790 a year on average.

State Average Median Jobs After tax
Washington $78,790 $77,900 7,410 After tax
Hawaii $76,730 $80,080 690 After tax
Alaska $74,580 $75,580 860 After tax
Massachusetts $73,640 $73,270 4,870 After tax
Maryland $73,300 $74,790 3,030 After tax
New Hampshire $72,860 $71,390 1,040 After tax
California $72,690 $73,950 20,940 After tax
Nevada $71,370 $68,410 1,990 After tax
Colorado $71,010 $70,480 4,600 After tax
New Jersey $70,860 $72,340 8,160 After tax
New York $70,740 $70,100 13,230 After tax
Connecticut $70,200 $67,300 2,860 After tax
District of Columbia $69,880 $65,200 110 After tax
Minnesota $69,320 $66,840 7,300 After tax
Rhode Island $69,320 $67,270 350 After tax
Illinois $69,220 $64,340 11,320 After tax
North Dakota $68,600 $66,110 1,790 After tax
Oregon $67,270 $63,970 3,770 After tax
Delaware $65,730 $63,590 670 After tax
Utah $64,930 $64,350 2,690 After tax
Georgia $64,230 $61,370 10,910 After tax
Wisconsin $64,150 $62,450 6,750 After tax
Vermont $63,890 $59,390 550 After tax
Arizona $63,820 $61,680 5,140 After tax
Wyoming $63,740 $61,580 1,100 After tax
Florida $62,750 $60,490 14,900 After tax
Pennsylvania $62,680 $61,740 12,630 After tax
Maine $62,230 $60,850 1,380 After tax
Michigan $62,140 $61,420 9,020 After tax
Virginia $61,590 $61,090 8,070 After tax
Kansas $61,260 $59,460 3,300 After tax
Indiana $61,200 $60,610 8,840 After tax
Ohio $61,190 $60,470 14,240 After tax
Montana $60,940 $59,990 1,230 After tax
Iowa $60,900 $59,680 4,140 After tax
Missouri $60,750 $59,360 6,780 After tax
Tennessee $60,590 $59,190 5,720 After tax
Texas $60,530 $58,810 29,870 After tax
Idaho $60,110 $59,230 1,930 After tax
Nebraska $59,790 $59,140 2,720 After tax
New Mexico $59,650 $55,910 1,740 After tax
South Dakota $59,480 $58,120 1,340 After tax
South Carolina $59,050 $59,330 3,360 After tax
Louisiana $58,930 $58,680 3,270 After tax
North Carolina $57,910 $57,490 11,070 After tax
Kentucky $57,370 $55,480 3,890 After tax
Mississippi $56,670 $54,360 3,140 After tax
Oklahoma $55,650 $55,340 3,970 After tax
Arkansas $54,250 $52,330 4,090 After tax
Alabama $54,120 $50,470 6,130 After tax
West Virginia $52,690 $46,610 1,040 After tax
Guam $49,610 $51,720 30
Puerto Rico $44,960 $40,110 930

A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.

Other installation, maintenance and repair jobs

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists” (SOC 49-3031). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries

About the Job Salaries

Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.

How to use it

  1. 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
  2. 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
  3. 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
  4. 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a diesel mechanic make an hour?

The median hourly wage for a diesel mechanic is $29.70, and the average is $30.92. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $21.41 an hour and the top 10% over $42.66.

How much does a diesel mechanic make a month?

At the median salary of $61,770, a diesel mechanic earns about $5,148 a month before tax, or $2,376 every two weeks.

Which state pays diesel mechanics the most?

Washington has the highest average pay for a diesel mechanic, at $78,790 a year. Next are Hawaii and Alaska. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.

What is the starting salary for a diesel mechanic?

The lowest-paid 10% of diesel mechanics earn less than $44,530 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $50,540. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.

How much do the highest-paid diesel mechanics make?

The top 10% earn more than $88,740 a year, and the top 25% more than $75,470.