How much do diesel mechanics make an hour in Hickory, NC?

The median hourly wage is $26.19. The middle half earn between $22.61 and $29.82 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)

What do entry-level diesel mechanics make in Hickory, NC?

BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $18.56 an hour ($38,600 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $22.61.

Do diesel mechanics make more in Hickory or Raleigh?

Raleigh pays more: the median is $54,480 in Hickory and $60,310 in Raleigh, a 10% difference.

How does Hickory pay compare with the rest of North Carolina?

The Hickory median of $54,480 is 5% less than the North Carolina median of $57,490.

Diesel mechanic salary in Hickory, NC

Updated September 27, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025

Diesel mechanics in the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton, NC area earn a median of $54,480 a year, or $26.19 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The highest-paid 10% make over $72,000 a year. Statewide, diesel mechanics earn a median of $57,490; Hickory is 5% below it.

Median yearly pay$54,480

Bottom 10% under$38,600Top 10% over$72,000

Entry-level starting pay (estimate): $18.56/hr
Jobs in this area: 410
After cost of living: $61,570
Median hourly pay: $26.19/hr
vs U.S. median: −12%
vs North Carolina median: −5%

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (area 25860, Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC). Excludes self-employed diesel mechanics. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024. *Starting pay is estimated from the 10th percentile; BLS does not report pay by license level.

Entry-level to master diesel mechanic pay

Stage	Yearly pay	Hourly pay
Entry level	$38,600–$47,040$18.56–$22.61/hr
Experienced mechanic	$54,480$26.19/hr
Master / top earners	$62,030–$72,000$29.82–$34.62/hr

Estimated from BLS percentiles (10th–25th, median, 75th–90th); BLS does not report pay by license level.

How Hickory, NC compares

Hickory ranks 13th of 16 North Carolina metro areas for diesel mechanic pay.
Diesel mechanics are more concentrated in the Hickory area than nationally: 2.7 of every 1,000 jobs, 1.4 times the U.S. share.
The 90th-percentile wage, $72,000, is 1.9 times the 10th-percentile wage, $38,600: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.

Other North Carolina metro areas

Other trades in Hickory, NC

Electrician HVAC technician Welder Lineman Plumber Carpenter Heavy equipment operator Auto mechanic Roofer

Questions

How much do diesel mechanics make in Hickory, NC?: Diesel mechanics in the Hickory–Lenoir–Morganton, NC area earn a median of $54,480 a year, or $26.19 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The highest-paid 10% make over $72,000 a year.
How much do diesel mechanics make an hour in Hickory, NC?: The median hourly wage is $26.19. The middle half earn between $22.61 and $29.82 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
What do entry-level diesel mechanics make in Hickory, NC?: BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $18.56 an hour ($38,600 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $22.61.
Do diesel mechanics make more in Hickory or Raleigh?: Raleigh pays more: the median is $54,480 in Hickory and $60,310 in Raleigh, a 10% difference.
How does Hickory pay compare with the rest of North Carolina?: The Hickory median of $54,480 is 5% less than the North Carolina median of $57,490.

About this data

Wages are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for May 2025, occupation 49-3031 (Bus and Truck Mechanics and Diesel Engine Specialists), area code 25860 (Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC). BLS counts wage and salary workers only, so self-employed diesel 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 (88.5, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 27, 2026. How we calculate these figures