Auto mechanic salary in Buffalo, NY
Updated September 27, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025
Auto mechanics in the Buffalo–Cheektowaga, NY area earn a median of $48,550 a year, or $23.34 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The top 10% earn more than $74,980. Statewide, auto mechanics earn a median of $54,120; Buffalo is 10% below it.
- Entry-level starting pay (estimate)
- $17.34/hr
- Jobs in this area
- 2,590
- After cost of living
- $50,660
- Median hourly pay
- $23.34/hr
- vs U.S. median
- −4%
- vs New York median
- −10%
Entry-level to master auto mechanic pay
| Stage | Yearly pay | Hourly pay |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level | $36,080–$41,900$17.34–$20.14/hr | |
| Experienced technician | $48,550$23.34/hr | |
| Master / top earners | $61,470–$74,980$29.55–$36.05/hr |
Estimated from BLS percentiles (10th–25th, median, 75th–90th); BLS does not report pay by license level.
How Buffalo, NY compares
- Buffalo ranks 9th of 13 New York metro areas for auto mechanic pay.
- Auto mechanics hold about the same share of jobs in the Buffalo area as nationally: 4.8 of every 1,000 jobs.
- The 90th-percentile wage, $74,980, is 2.1 times the 10th-percentile wage, $36,080: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.
Other New York metro areas
Other trades in Buffalo, NY
Questions
- How much do auto mechanics make in Buffalo, NY?
- Auto mechanics in the Buffalo–Cheektowaga, NY area earn a median of $48,550 a year, or $23.34 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The top 10% earn more than $74,980.
- How much do auto mechanics make an hour in Buffalo, NY?
- The median hourly wage is $23.34. The middle half earn between $20.14 and $29.55 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
- What do entry-level auto mechanics make in Buffalo, NY?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $17.34 an hour ($36,080 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $20.14.
- Do auto mechanics make more in Buffalo or Rochester?
- Rochester pays more: the median is $48,550 in Buffalo and $58,530 in Rochester, a 17% difference.
- How does Buffalo pay compare with the rest of New York?
- The Buffalo median of $48,550 is 10% less than the New York 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 15380 (Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY). 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 (95.8, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 27, 2026. How we calculate these figures