TradeSalary

Diesel mechanic salary in Jackson, TN

Updated September 27, 2026 with BLS data from May 2025

Diesel mechanics in the Jackson, TN area earn a median of $55,690 a year, or $26.77 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The highest-paid 10% make over $72,610 a year. Statewide, diesel mechanics earn a median of $59,190; Jackson is 6% below it.

Median yearly pay$55,690
Bottom 10% under$39,610Top 10% over$72,610
Entry-level starting pay (estimate)
$19.05/hr
Jobs in this area
210
After cost of living
$65,120
Median hourly pay
$26.77/hr
vs U.S. median
−10%
vs Tennessee median
−6%
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (area 27180, Jackson, TN). 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

StageYearly payHourly pay
Entry level$39,610–$46,890$19.05–$22.54/hr
Experienced mechanic$55,690$26.77/hr
Master / top earners$62,800–$72,610$30.19–$34.91/hr

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

How Jackson, TN compares

  • Jackson ranks 8th of 10 Tennessee metro areas for diesel mechanic pay.
  • Diesel mechanics are more concentrated in the Jackson area than nationally: 2.5 of every 1,000 jobs, 1.3 times the U.S. share.
  • The 90th-percentile wage, $72,610, is 1.8 times the 10th-percentile wage, $39,610: a measure of how much pay rises with experience and specialty.

Other Tennessee metro areas

Other trades in Jackson, TN

Questions

How much do diesel mechanics make in Jackson, TN?
Diesel mechanics in the Jackson, TN area earn a median of $55,690 a year, or $26.77 an hour, according to May 2025 BLS data. The highest-paid 10% make over $72,610 a year.
How much do diesel mechanics make an hour in Jackson, TN?
The median hourly wage is $26.77. The middle half earn between $22.54 and $30.19 an hour. (BLS, May 2025.)
What do entry-level diesel mechanics make in Jackson, TN?
BLS doesn't report pay by license level. The 10th-percentile wage, $19.05 an hour ($39,610 a year), is a reasonable estimate of starting pay; the 25th percentile is $22.54.
Do diesel mechanics make more in Jackson or Memphis?
Memphis pays more: the median is $55,690 in Jackson and $61,360 in Memphis, a 9% difference.
How does Jackson pay compare with the rest of Tennessee?
The Jackson median of $55,690 is 6% less than the Tennessee median of $59,190.

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 27180 (Jackson, TN). 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 (85.5, where the U.S. average is 100). Page updated September 27, 2026. How we calculate these figures