Auto mechanic salary in Hilton Head Island, SC
Updated September 27, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025
Auto mechanics in the Hilton Head Island–Bluffton–Port Royal, SC area earn a median of $50,920 a year, or $24.48 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. One in ten earns more than $81,370. Across all of South Carolina, the median is $48,100, so Hilton Head Island pays 6% more than the state as a whole.
- Entry-level starting pay (estimate)
- $15.01/hr
- Jobs in this area
- 560
- After cost of living
- $51,950
- Median hourly pay
- $24.48/hr
- vs U.S. median
- +1%
- vs South Carolina median
- +6%
Entry-level to master auto mechanic pay
| Stage | Yearly pay | Hourly pay |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level | $31,220–$37,400$15.01–$17.98/hr | |
| Experienced technician | $50,920$24.48/hr | |
| Master / top earners | $72,110–$81,370$34.67–$39.12/hr |
Estimated from BLS percentiles (10th–25th, median, 75th–90th); BLS does not report pay by license level.
How Hilton Head Island, SC compares
- Hilton Head Island ranks 2nd of 10 South Carolina metro areas for auto mechanic pay.
- Auto mechanics are more concentrated in the Hilton Head Island area than nationally: 6.8 of every 1,000 jobs, 1.5 times the U.S. share.
- The 90th-percentile wage, $81,370, is 2.6 times the 10th-percentile wage, $31,220: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.
Other South Carolina metro areas
Other trades in Hilton Head Island, SC
Questions
- How much do auto mechanics make in Hilton Head Island, SC?
- Auto mechanics in the Hilton Head Island–Bluffton–Port Royal, SC area earn a median of $50,920 a year, or $24.48 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 Hilton Head Island, SC?
- The median hourly wage is $24.48. The middle half earn between $17.98 and $34.67 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
- What do entry-level auto mechanics make in Hilton Head Island, SC?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $15.01 an hour ($31,220 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $17.98.
- Do auto mechanics make more in Hilton Head Island or Charlotte?
- Charlotte pays more: the median is $50,920 in Hilton Head Island and $53,660 in Charlotte, a 5% difference.
- How does Hilton Head Island pay compare with the rest of South Carolina?
- The Hilton Head Island median of $50,920 is 6% more than the South Carolina median of $48,100.
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 25940 (Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC). 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 (98.0, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 27, 2026. How we calculate these figures