Auto mechanic salary in Grand Rapids, MI
Updated September 27, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025
Auto mechanics in the Grand Rapids–Wyoming–Kentwood, MI area earn a median of $49,310 a year, or $23.71 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. One in ten earns more than $81,370. Statewide, auto mechanics earn a median of $54,120; Grand Rapids is 9% below it.
- Entry-level starting pay (estimate)
- $18.01/hr
- Jobs in this area
- 3,340
- After cost of living
- $51,610
- Median hourly pay
- $23.71/hr
- vs U.S. median
- −3%
- vs Michigan median
- −9%
Entry-level to master auto mechanic pay
| Stage | Yearly pay | Hourly pay |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level | $37,460–$45,540$18.01–$21.89/hr | |
| Experienced technician | $49,310$23.71/hr | |
| Master / top earners | $65,030–$81,370$31.26–$39.12/hr |
Estimated from BLS percentiles (10th–25th, median, 75th–90th); BLS does not report pay by license level.
How Grand Rapids, MI compares
- Grand Rapids ranks 8th of 16 Michigan metro areas for auto mechanic pay.
- Auto mechanics are more concentrated in the Grand Rapids area than nationally: 5.6 of every 1,000 jobs, 1.2 times the U.S. share.
- The 90th-percentile wage, $81,370, is 2.2 times the 10th-percentile wage, $37,460: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.
Other Michigan metro areas
Other trades in Grand Rapids, MI
Questions
- How much do auto mechanics make in Grand Rapids, MI?
- Auto mechanics in the Grand Rapids–Wyoming–Kentwood, MI area earn a median of $49,310 a year, or $23.71 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. One in ten earns more than $81,370.
- How much do auto mechanics make an hour in Grand Rapids, MI?
- The median hourly wage is $23.71. The middle half earn between $21.89 and $31.26 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
- What do entry-level auto mechanics make in Grand Rapids, MI?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $18.01 an hour ($37,460 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $21.89.
- Do auto mechanics make more in Grand Rapids or Lansing?
- Lansing pays more: the median is $49,310 in Grand Rapids and $56,130 in Lansing, a 12% difference.
- How does Grand Rapids pay compare with the rest of Michigan?
- The Grand Rapids median of $49,310 is 9% 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 24340 (Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, 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 (95.5, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 27, 2026. How we calculate these figures