Auto mechanic salary in St. Louis, MO-IL
Updated September 27, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025
Auto mechanics in the St. Louis, MO-IL area earn a median of $58,190 a year, or $27.98 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The top 10% earn more than $78,140. Across all of Missouri, the median is $49,160, so St. Louis pays 18% more than the state as a whole.
- Entry-level starting pay (estimate)
- $17.44/hr
- Jobs in this area
- 7,590
- After cost of living
- $61,200
- Median hourly pay
- $27.98/hr
- vs U.S. median
- +15%
- vs Missouri median
- +18%
Entry-level to master auto mechanic pay
| Stage | Yearly pay | Hourly pay |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level | $36,280–$41,040$17.44–$19.73/hr | |
| Experienced technician | $58,190$27.98/hr | |
| Master / top earners | $72,610–$78,140$34.91–$37.57/hr |
Estimated from BLS percentiles (10th–25th, median, 75th–90th); BLS does not report pay by license level.
How St. Louis, MO-IL compares
- St. Louis has the highest auto mechanic median of the 8 Missouri metro areas with published pay.
- Auto mechanics are more concentrated in the St. Louis area than nationally: 5.7 of every 1,000 jobs, 1.3 times the U.S. share.
- The 90th-percentile wage, $78,140, is 2.2 times the 10th-percentile wage, $36,280: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.
Other Missouri metro areas
Other trades in St. Louis, MO-IL
Questions
- How much do auto mechanics make in St. Louis, MO-IL?
- Auto mechanics in the St. Louis, MO-IL area earn a median of $58,190 a year, or $27.98 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The top 10% earn more than $78,140.
- How much do auto mechanics make an hour in St. Louis, MO-IL?
- The median hourly wage is $27.98. The middle half earn between $19.73 and $34.91 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
- What do entry-level auto mechanics make in St. Louis, MO-IL?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $17.44 an hour ($36,280 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $19.73.
- Do auto mechanics make more in St. Louis or Kansas City?
- St. Louis pays more: the median is $58,190 in St. Louis and $53,790 in Kansas City, a 8% difference.
- How does St. Louis pay compare with the rest of Missouri?
- The St. Louis median of $58,190 is 18% more than the Missouri median of $49,160.
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 41180 (St. Louis, MO-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 (95.1, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 27, 2026. How we calculate these figures