Auto mechanic salary in Rockford, IL
Updated September 27, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025
Auto mechanics in the Rockford, IL area earn a median of $48,110 a year, or $23.13 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. One in ten earns more than $80,010. That's 2% less than the Illinois median of $49,170.
- Entry-level starting pay (estimate)
- $16.78/hr
- Jobs in this area
- 730
- After cost of living
- $52,210
- Median hourly pay
- $23.13/hr
- vs U.S. median
- −5%
- vs Illinois median
- −2%
Entry-level to master auto mechanic pay
| Stage | Yearly pay | Hourly pay |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level | $34,890–$37,700$16.78–$18.13/hr | |
| Experienced technician | $48,110$23.13/hr | |
| Master / top earners | $64,750–$80,010$31.13–$38.46/hr |
Estimated from BLS percentiles (10th–25th, median, 75th–90th); BLS does not report pay by license level.
How Rockford, IL compares
- Rockford ranks 5th of 12 Illinois metro areas for auto mechanic pay.
- Auto mechanics are more concentrated in the Rockford area than nationally: 5.3 of every 1,000 jobs, 1.2 times the U.S. share.
- The 90th-percentile wage, $80,010, is 2.3 times the 10th-percentile wage, $34,890: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.
Other Illinois metro areas
Other trades in Rockford, IL
Questions
- How much do auto mechanics make in Rockford, IL?
- Auto mechanics in the Rockford, IL area earn a median of $48,110 a year, or $23.13 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. One in ten earns more than $80,010.
- How much do auto mechanics make an hour in Rockford, IL?
- The median hourly wage is $23.13. The middle half earn between $18.13 and $31.13 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
- What do entry-level auto mechanics make in Rockford, IL?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $16.78 an hour ($34,890 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $18.13.
- Do auto mechanics make more in Rockford or St. Louis?
- St. Louis pays more: the median is $48,110 in Rockford and $58,190 in St. Louis, a 17% difference.
- How does Rockford pay compare with the rest of Illinois?
- The Rockford median of $48,110 is 2% less than the Illinois median of $49,170.
About this data
Wages are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for May 2025, occupation 49-3023 (Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics), area code 40420 (Rockford, IL). BLS counts wage and salary workers only, so self-employed auto mechanics and business owners aren't included. The cost-of-living figure divides the median by the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parity for 2024 (92.2, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 27, 2026. How we calculate these figures