Diesel mechanic salary in Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Updated September 27, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025
Diesel mechanics in the Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD area earn a median of $64,550 a year, or $31.04 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The highest-paid 10% make over $87,700 a year. That's 5% more than the Pennsylvania median of $61,740.
- Entry-level starting pay (estimate)
- $22.78/hr
- Jobs in this area
- 4,490
- After cost of living
- $62,940
- Median hourly pay
- $31.04/hr
- vs U.S. median
- +5%
- vs Pennsylvania median
- +5%
Entry-level to master diesel mechanic pay
| Stage | Yearly pay | Hourly pay |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level | $47,380–$55,850$22.78–$26.85/hr | |
| Experienced mechanic | $64,550$31.04/hr | |
| Master / top earners | $76,770–$87,700$36.91–$42.16/hr |
Estimated from BLS percentiles (10th–25th, median, 75th–90th); BLS does not report pay by license level.
How Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD compares
- Philadelphia ranks 2nd of 16 Pennsylvania metro areas for diesel mechanic pay.
- Diesel mechanics are less concentrated in the Philadelphia area than nationally: 1.6 of every 1,000 jobs, 0.83 times the U.S. share.
- The 90th-percentile wage, $87,700, is 1.9 times the 10th-percentile wage, $47,380: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.
Other Pennsylvania metro areas
Other trades in Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Questions
- How much do diesel mechanics make in Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD?
- Diesel mechanics in the Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD area earn a median of $64,550 a year, or $31.04 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The highest-paid 10% make over $87,700 a year.
- How much do diesel mechanics make an hour in Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD?
- The median hourly wage is $31.04. The middle half earn between $26.85 and $36.91 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
- What do entry-level diesel mechanics make in Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD?
- BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $22.78 an hour ($47,380 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $26.85.
- Do diesel mechanics make more in Philadelphia or Allentown?
- Philadelphia pays more: the median is $64,550 in Philadelphia and $64,110 in Allentown, a 1% difference.
- How does Philadelphia pay compare with the rest of Pennsylvania?
- The Philadelphia median of $64,550 is 5% more than the Pennsylvania median of $61,740.
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 37980 (Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD). 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 (102.6, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 27, 2026. How we calculate these figures