Auto mechanic salary in Bay City, MI
Updated September 27, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025
Auto mechanics in the Bay City, MI area earn a median of $47,830 a year, or $22.99 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The top 10% earn more than $75,770. Statewide, auto mechanics earn a median of $54,120; Bay City is 12% below it.
- Entry-level starting pay (estimate)
- $16.59/hr
- Jobs in this area
- 200
- After cost of living
- $52,030
- Median hourly pay
- $22.99/hr
- vs U.S. median
- −6%
- vs Michigan median
- −12%
Entry-level to master auto mechanic pay
| Stage | Yearly pay | Hourly pay |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level | $34,520–$43,630$16.59–$20.98/hr | |
| Experienced technician | $47,830$22.99/hr | |
| Master / top earners | $61,520–$75,770$29.58–$36.43/hr |
Estimated from BLS percentiles (10th–25th, median, 75th–90th); BLS does not report pay by license level.
How Bay City, MI compares
- Bay City ranks 13th of 16 Michigan metro areas for auto mechanic pay.
- Auto mechanics are more concentrated in the Bay City area than nationally: 5.9 of every 1,000 jobs, 1.3 times the U.S. share.
- The 90th-percentile wage, $75,770, is 2.2 times the 10th-percentile wage, $34,520: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.
Other Michigan metro areas
Other trades in Bay City, MI
Questions
- How much do auto mechanics make in Bay City, MI?
- Auto mechanics in the Bay City, MI area earn a median of $47,830 a year, or $22.99 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The top 10% earn more than $75,770.
- How much do auto mechanics make an hour in Bay City, MI?
- The median hourly wage is $22.99. The middle half earn between $20.98 and $29.58 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
- What do entry-level auto mechanics make in Bay City, MI?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $16.59 an hour ($34,520 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $20.98.
- Do auto mechanics make more in Bay City or Lansing?
- Lansing pays more: the median is $47,830 in Bay City and $56,130 in Lansing, a 15% difference.
- How does Bay City pay compare with the rest of Michigan?
- The Bay City median of $47,830 is 12% less than the Michigan median of $54,120.
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 13020 (Bay City, MI). 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 (91.9, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 27, 2026. How we calculate these figures