Auto mechanic salary in Virginia
Updated September 27, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025
Auto mechanics in Virginia earn a median of $59,330 a year, or $28.53 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The highest-paid 10% make over $92,570 a year. Nationally the median is $50,620, so Virginia pays 17% more than the U.S. overall and ranks 7th of 51.
- Entry-level starting pay (estimate)
- $17.57/hr
- Jobs in Virginia
- 17,880
- After cost of living
- $58,680
- Median hourly pay
- $28.53/hr
- vs U.S. median
- +17%
- Rank among states
- 7th of 51
Entry-level to master auto mechanic pay
| Stage | Yearly pay | Hourly pay |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level | $36,540–$45,080$17.57–$21.67/hr | |
| Experienced technician | $59,330$28.53/hr | |
| Master / top earners | $76,540–$92,570$36.80–$44.50/hr |
Estimated from BLS percentiles (10th–25th, median, 75th–90th); BLS does not report pay by license level.
Pay over time
The median auto mechanic wage in Virginia rose 25.9%, from $47,120 in May 2021 to $59,330 in May 2025. Prices rose 19.4% over the same period, so after inflation it rose 5.4%.
| Year | Median a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $47,120 | $22.66/hr |
| May 2022 | $47,410 | $22.79/hr |
| May 2023 | $48,830 | $23.47/hr |
| May 2024 | $56,320 | $27.08/hr |
| May 2025 | $59,330 | $28.53/hr |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, each May release; inflation from the BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U, May of each year). BLS cautions against reading much into year-to-year changes, so we compare the first and last years. How we compare years
How Virginia compares
- Auto mechanics hold about the same share of jobs in Virginia as nationally: 4.4 of every 1,000 jobs.
- The 90th-percentile wage, $92,570, is 2.5 times the 10th-percentile wage, $36,540: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.
Pay by metro area
Rural Virginia
- Northeast Virginia$53,030
- Northwest Virginia$47,890
- Southside Virginia$47,620
- Southwest Virginia$46,510
Other trades in Virginia
Questions
- How much do auto mechanics make in Virginia?
- Auto mechanics in Virginia earn a median of $59,330 a year, or $28.53 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The highest-paid 10% make over $92,570 a year.
- How much do auto mechanics make an hour in Virginia?
- The median hourly wage is $28.53. The middle half earn between $21.67 and $36.80 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
- What do entry-level auto mechanics make in Virginia?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $17.57 an hour ($36,540 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $21.67.
- Has auto mechanic pay gone up in Virginia?
- The median auto mechanic wage in Virginia rose 25.9%, from $47,120 in May 2021 to $59,330 in May 2025. Prices rose 19.4% over the same period, so after inflation it rose 5.4%. (BLS wage data and Consumer Price Index.)
- Where in Virginia do auto mechanics earn the most?
- Among Virginia metro areas, Washington–Arlington–Alexandria has the highest median at $61,860 a year, and Lynchburg the lowest at $46,970.
- Do auto mechanics in Virginia earn more than the national average?
- The Virginia median of $59,330 is 17% more than the U.S. median of $50,620. Prices in Virginia run 1% above the national average (BEA), so the median buys about what $58,680 would nationally.
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 51. 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 (101.1, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 27, 2026. How we calculate these figures