Diesel mechanic career
BLS occupation: Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists (49-3031). Updated September 27, 2026.
Pay
Diesel mechanics in the U.S. earn a median of $61,770 a year, or $29.70 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data.
What diesel mechanics do
- Use handtools, such as screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, pressure gauges, or precision instruments, as well as power tools, such as pneumatic wrenches, lathes, welding equipment, or jacks and hoists.
- Inspect brake systems, steering mechanisms, wheel bearings, and other important parts to ensure that they are in proper operating condition.
- Raise trucks, buses, and heavy parts or equipment using hydraulic jacks or hoists.
- Adjust and reline brakes, align wheels, tighten bolts and screws, and reassemble equipment.
- Attach test instruments to equipment, and read dials and gauges to diagnose malfunctions.
- Perform routine maintenance such as changing oil, checking batteries, and lubricating equipment and machinery.
- Examine and adjust protective guards, loose bolts, and specified safety devices.
- Inspect, test, and listen to defective equipment to diagnose malfunctions, using test instruments such as handheld computers, motor analyzers, chassis charts, or pressure gauges.
The most important tasks, as rated by workers in the occupation. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
Job outlook
BLS projects diesel mechanic jobs will grow 3.6% from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as the 3.5% for all U.S. jobs, with about 24,400 openings a year as people join, retire, and change careers.
- Jobs in 2025
- 316,000
- Projected for 2035
- 327,400
- Openings a year
- 24,400
- Self-employed
- 5.9%
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035. Job counts include self-employed workers.
Training
- Typical education to start
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Experience in a related job
- None
- Typical on-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections. Licensing rules vary by state; confirm with your state's licensing board.
Pay in your state
- Hawaii$80,080
- Washington$77,900
- Alaska$75,580
- Maryland$74,790
- California$73,950
- Massachusetts$73,270
- New Jersey$72,340
- New Hampshire$71,390
- Colorado$70,480
- New York$70,100
See all 50 states and DC
- Nevada$68,410
- Connecticut$67,300
- Rhode Island$67,270
- Minnesota$66,840
- North Dakota$66,110
- District of Columbia$65,200
- Utah$64,350
- Illinois$64,340
- Oregon$63,970
- Delaware$63,590
- Wisconsin$62,450
- Pennsylvania$61,740
- Arizona$61,680
- Wyoming$61,580
- Michigan$61,420
- Georgia$61,370
- Virginia$61,090
- Maine$60,850
- Indiana$60,610
- Florida$60,490
- Ohio$60,470
- Montana$59,990
- Iowa$59,680
- Kansas$59,460
- Vermont$59,390
- Missouri$59,360
- South Carolina$59,330
- Idaho$59,230
- Tennessee$59,190
- Nebraska$59,140
- Texas$58,810
- Louisiana$58,680
- South Dakota$58,120
- North Carolina$57,490
- New Mexico$55,910
- Kentucky$55,480
- Oklahoma$55,340
- Mississippi$54,360
- Arkansas$52,330
- Alabama$50,470
- West Virginia$46,610
Top-paying metro areas
Other trades
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Excludes self-employed diesel mechanics.